


Temporary Bliss

by Lunafox90



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Additional Warnings In Author's Note, Aftercare, Aphrodisiacs, Cock Warming, Come Swallowing, Crimson Flower Route, Dead Dove: Do Not Eat, Dom/sub, Drug Use, F/M, FE3H Kinkmeme, Female My Unit | Byleth, Fluff and Smut, Forced Marriage, Gaslighting, Implied teacher-student relationship, Kinktober, Mindbreak, Mirror Sex, Multiple Orgasms, Murder, Non-Consensual Kissing, Non-Consensual Somnophilia, Non-Consensual Touching, Obedience, Obsessive Behavior, Possessive Behavior, Possessive Sex, Prisoner of War, Restraints, Tempest King Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd, Voice Kink, Yandere, as fluffy as the situation allows
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-09
Updated: 2021-02-13
Packaged: 2021-03-07 15:49:41
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 7
Words: 45,916
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26920141
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lunafox90/pseuds/Lunafox90
Summary: Originally just tempest darkfic, but wanted to give it an actual title. Inspired by the cab - Temporary Bliss which is usually on repeat when I write this."I can't keep sleeping in your bed if you keep messing with my head, give me something please .... keep waiting for your heart.... what your giving me is a lullaby... not another one night to be your whole life I don't want to fall asleep ..can't keep feeling love like this, if it's only temporary bliss.PLEASE Please read tags.So taking the prompt for Tempest Seduction and twisting it a bit to take the darker route I wasn't comfortable handling before.CF route Dimitri has found Byleth before she wakes up. Byleth is in for a rude awakening with a ring on her hand and with Dimitri calling her his wife and that she belongs to him.Dark fluff- obsessive love, but I don't plan much in the way of physical harmwas told dead dove is catch all for everything is in tags : Don't like these scenarios then please don't read.
Relationships: Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/My Unit | Byleth
Comments: 115
Kudos: 242
Collections: FE3H Kink Meme





	1. warning/author's notes

**Author's Note:**

> Fire Emblem and its characters do not belong to me, they just decided to live inside my head.
> 
> Comments and kudos are welcome, feedback is appreciated, but please be kind both to me and other commenters you reply to.
> 
> Thank you for taking the time out of your day to read and I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Forgive any typos myself or my betas may have missed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so this chapter is the author's note please read BEFORE continuing to the content
> 
> sorry for the wall ^^; I don't usually dabble in dark or non-con. I want to make sure that those reading this actually want to and don't go diving in headfirst because it's hey Lunafox has another Dimileth....*starts reading* D:

There were a few people on the kinkmeme that asked if I was going to take a darker turn at the prompt I took for tempest seduction, and I said I would think about it. With what I’ve been doing with Tempest Seduction you can bet your ass that my mind has traveled to dark places while working on that fic of stuff I wanted to avoid for the more general audience of my fics. Welp I’ve also been browsing the yandere tag and eating them up like popcorn so here we are. 

I don’t condone the non con in real life one bit. It is fiction. I read it so no judgement here of those kind enough to share your thoughts with me. I'm just filling the prompt I took with the darker tones that my mind will not allow me to let go of.

Mind the tags and if these types of fics are your guilty pleasure I hope I did it right. It was faster to edit what I currently had written for Seduction then go for a whole different scenario. If any of you are familiar with that you’ll notice the change almost immediately. (It wasn't Dimitri that killed the two to keep them silent for one) This version doesn’t mind having a doll if it means she’s his and doing whatever he needs to do to keep her with him. And while she’s still asleep he sees an opportunity to explore. He’s waited five years to know her and claim her as his. There would be no telling how long she’d be asleep, and this version of Dimitri is not as patient and isn't insistent that he needs her consent. Seduction would definitely have the more in character version of him, this one yeah... more for sake of porn and plot 

So Warnings: there’s plenty of non con here, mainly when she’s asleep. Biting, marking via bites/sucking on skin. For when she's awake restraints, aphrodisiac, cockwarming, repeat of above. I don’t know what else yet, I’ll come back up to this paragraph/ tags as I type. Awake will be chapter 3 and still deciding. Comments will help direct that *hint hint*

Please be nice. If it’s not your thing do not click for the next chapter. I have plenty of fluff for you to read instead. And if you like dark content, it's an obsessive love, but he still cares for her and doesn't want to harm her so unless something changes the only injury to her should be mental besides bruises and bites.

If you like it then even if you log out and comment as a guest or leave a guest kudos it’s appreciated. 

For those of you who want to continue, Please take care of yourselves - you’ve been warned. Click next chapter.

If you wish to turn back but were curious for the story might I suggest Tempest Seduction [ https://archiveofourown.org/works/24132142/chapters/58102186 ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24132142/chapters/58102186) You get a somewhat Yandere Dimitri who is possessive, wants her, but is willing to wait till she wakes up because it’s pointless without her reactions. Byleth wants him back and she's got plans to manipulate the situation how she wants to. That being said completly different stories, so while seduction is going towards happy ending with equal footing, this one will not.


	2. Sleeping beauty

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so you clicked :3 hope you enjoy

“Your majesty, there is something our scouts near the monastery found that might interest you.”

Dimitri turned around. There wasn’t much in this world that would merit bothering him directly. The scout motioned to the ones near the door that had a large tied up blanket. 

“We haven’t let anyone else see her, but based on past descriptions she is the one you spent all that time looking for. You had told us if we had any information on her to bring her straight to you,” the captain reported.

Her? Dimitri’s breathing caught in his chest. After five years of not even finding a single trace, five years of Edelgard sending out her troops only focused on finding her, could it be that she had fallen into his grasp instead? They untied the knot and the fabric fell from the form inside. He grinned at the sight. It was Byleth. 

“You’ve done well. Has anyone else seen her?” Dimitri asked.

The captain shook his head. “No, we fished her out of the river and covered her up immediately. The three of us here in this room are the only ones.”

Dimitri knelt to get a closer look. He caressed her cheek with the back of his hand as a twisted smile crossed his face. 

He rose to his feet as he faced the men. “I apologize. You’ve done so well, but I can’t let anyone else know that I have her.”

The captain’s face paled as the other two men turned to run. Dimitri caught them easily, crushing their throats before they had the chance to scream. 

The captain fell to one knee before him. “I understand Your Majesty. If you feel it necessary, then I am glad that I could fulfill your greatest wish.”

Dimitri’s gaze flickered over the captain of his battalion. Such loyalty shouldn’t be wasted. This was not the first unsavory task that he had given Ivan to carry out. There were too many rats around. Those loyal to him were beginning to thin. “Dispose of them. Know that if you so much as whisper about her then you will meet the same fate as your men.”

The relief was tangible on Ivan’s face as he bowed his head. “Thank you for your mercy, Your Majesty. Enjoy the reward of your devotion to finding her.”

Dimitri picked Byleth up and cradled her in his arms. He took the sword of the creator in his hand and turned towards his chambers, leaving the grisly scene behind. 

She seemed so small and fragile in comparison to his memory. She had been one of the few that had worried him when they had to fight against in the battle of the Eagle and Lion. They said they had fished her out of the river. He could believe it with how she was caked in drying mud. The cloth had kept him from getting smeared with dirt

He was still euphoric at the prospect that he had stolen her away from Edelgard. Byleth had been missing for five years. Where had she gone if she wasn’t by Edelgard’s side? She didn’t look as if she had aged a day. Her breathing was soft, her chest barely moving. 

“She’s an enemy boy! Send Edelgard back her pet back to her in pieces, or have you lost your resolve?” Lambert hissed in his ear.

Dimitri ignored his father’s ghost. He had no intention of killing his greatest treasure.

“Spineless coward! You’ve always fancied her! The moment she wakes up she can sway you with pretty words, maybe the promise to let you fuck her, to get what she wants. Perhaps she would do that woman’s job and kill you when you sleep,” Glenn snapped. 

Dimitri scoffed at that. “Enough, she could be of use to us. Would you really have me destroy the chance to keep her most valuable asset? I will get you what you are owed, but Byleth stays at my side.”

The ghosts huffed but left him alone for now. When he got to his room he put her sword down on the dresser and took her dagger out for good measure. She hadn’t moved or protested, not a single sound. He took her dagger and drew a short line in her arm and watched as the cut healed itself almost instantly. There was still no change in her. She had always been alert from what he had seen of her.

He put the dagger down and brought her to the bathroom to wash the dirt from her. He also needed to wash the touch of Edelgard from her. The thought of another person’s hands on her made his skin crawl. No one else would be allowed to taint her again.  


She was his now and no one would harm her. He brought her lips to his and sighed at the feeling. He paused at the scent of her hair. She had always smelled like jasmine, chamomile, or sometimes mint. It wasn’t there at the moment. He would need to remedy that. 

He looked around until his eyes found the small basket of small bottles. He never cared for the scented soaps that they were determined to place at the tubside, but in this moment he was grateful for them. He smirked at the realization that even they knew that he wasn’t destined to be alone. They were never meant for him, but rather for the one that he’d be enjoying the bath with. 

Glenn had been right. Even when he was supposed to be focused on his revenge in the academy, she had intruded on his thoughts. He had been drawn to her even back then. When she had invited him to tea with a gift on his birthday she had truly stolen any resistance he had to her. The conversation was engaging, her praise sending him over the moon, and her gifts showed how much she paid attention. What had caught him the most off guard was her answer when he asked why she didn’t choose the blue lions.

“I felt I shouldn’t choose to be the professor of someone that I was attracted…” Byleth had slammed her hand over her mouth and stared at him with wide eyes. “Forgive me… forget I said anything… I need to go.” 

She had tried to leave but he had caught her hand. His mouth was dry as he tried to formulate a response. She had pried his hand off with an apology and left. After that, she avoided him whenever she could. She was generally surrounded by the other black eagle students. The few times he had caught her alone he noticed the blush that would cover her face behind that stoic expression.

The shy look on her face was burned into his memory. There were so many times that he wanted to catch her alone and see how close she would let him get to her. The urge to kiss her was maddening, but he couldn’t get his chance. It always seemed like she knew the perfect way to avoid him. Then she disappeared, following that damned woman's heels. Rhea wouldn’t let Byleth get close enough for capture. Instead, Rhea had blasted her off the cliff. They retreated to Fhirdaid, and while the ghosts told him that it had to be done, he lamented at the loss of the one woman he desired to be his queen. 

If she still had any of those feelings he might not have to hurt her to convince Byleth that her place was here with him. The water was warm under his hand. He gave her one last chance to rouse and would leave her here to clean herself. He tried shaking her awake, a yell close enough to her ear, and even a pinch to her flesh. There was still no change. He pressed his fingers to her neck and found a steady pulse. What was wrong with her? He had never seen anything like it. Even when someone was given a drug to sleep they never slept this soundly.

He started to strip her down, discarding the dirty clothing and armor aside. He’d have to worry about replacements for her later, but for the moment all he could do was stare at the sight before him. Even covered with dirt she was still beautiful. He took off his shirt so it wouldn’t get wet and threw it aside. He picked her up again and this time her breasts fell against his chest. It took him a moment to learn to breathe again.

He had to focus. He couldn’t leave her covered in muck and this was the only way. Something cold hit him and he looked down. He had missed something, there was a small chain that had been hidden under the cloth choker. He moved her hair aside and saw a ring that was getting caught in her hair. It must be the one Jeralt gave her. He remembered Dorothea telling Ingrid about it over lunch and describing that it looked like a flower. He took the chain in his hand and yanked, he would only break the clasp if he tried taking it off anyway. 

Holding the ring in his hand he had an idea. If she woke as his wife, she might not fight him and her destiny at his side as hard. Perhaps he could even turn her against Edelgard. If she were bound to him like he was to the dead then she wouldn’t leave again and he would finally have his revenge. 

Edelgard had desecrated the tomb and the dead required blood for being disturbed. Those that she worked with, the Argathans, Rhea called them were the ones behind Duscur. Edelgard had thrown her lot in with them. He would have to see why Byleth chose the path she did, if she would be able to remember.

He placed her in the water and again no change. It was miraculous in a way. He could do anything he wanted to her and there would be nothing to stop him. He started scrubbing away the dirt that covered her. He leaded her head against his arm as he started to run the cloth over parts he already cleaned. He abandoned the cloth to just be able to glide his fingers over her skin. He became bolder as he cupped her breast and fondled it in his hands. There was still no reaction from her other than an increase in her breathing. When the pad of his finger traced around her nipple she finally made a sound. It was almost like a mix between a whimper and a moan.  


He moved so her head was resting on his chest as he used both hands to explore her. He rubbed both nipples as her mouth opened and she emitted another sound. She was so beautiful. He leaned down to kiss her hair. Her scent made him wrinkle his nose. He had gotten distracted from his original task. He reached out to grab a bottle as he submerged her head under the water. He covered her mouth for good measure so she wouldn't swallow or breath in any of the bath water. Soft coughs shook her when he removed his hand before she went still again. He went back to the task of cleaning her. 

The more he touched the greater the desire tore through him. He would keep her for himself, one way or the other. He drained the bath and ran more water to rinse any excess off. There were small patches of red where he had scrubbed too hard, but he was at least glad his strength hadn’t done worse to her.

He scooped her back up and into a towel to dry her off before laying her on his bed. He pet back a strand of hair and kissed her. 

He ran his fingers along her jaw. “You are mine Byleth. If this has proved one thing to me, it’s that I can’t let anyone else have you.”

He went back to fetch his shirt and placed all of her clothing into the blanket. He’d have Dedue clean them later. He grabbed the ring off the counter where he left it. It was a woman’s ring, barely big enough to fit his pinky finger. There were some jewelers that he could use. He brought the blanket to the door and like clockwork Dedue knocked on his door to let him know his evening meal was ready. He grabbed his cloak and covered Byleth from the neck down. The sight of her with his colors struck another surge of possessiveness. 

Dimitri opened the door and Dedue bowed to him. 

Dimitri held up his hand before Dedue could speak. “You keep telling me how loyal you are to me. Are you ready to prove that?”

Dedue blinked a few times. “You know you only need to give the order, Your Majesty.”

Dimitri stepped back and let Dedue into the room. He came in but then he caught sight of her and stopped in his tracks. Dimitri shut the door behind him. 

“They brought her to me today. I got her clean, but we’ll need replacement clothes for her. Her dirty ones are there by the door. Even her boots were waterlogged. I don’t want anyone else to know that she’s here, especially Rhea. She’s mentioned how many times she wanted to tear Byleth apart and I can’t have that,” Dimitri explained.

Dedue nodded. “Will she pose a threat when she wakes?”

“I would rather find more persuasive options and keep her at my side. I want to start with this. Get it tailored to my size and find me a band that will fit her hand.” Dimitri handed her ring to Dedue. 

Dedue nodded in understanding. “Would you like me to watch her or bring your meal for you?” 

That was a difficult question. “I can’t have Rhea suspecting anything, but I don’t want to leave her.” 

“May I make a suggestion? Let me get things prepared in here for you. When you return you’ll be able to enjoy her to your heart’s content and I will make sure there are no interruptions.” 

Dimitri was hesitant, but he knew the reward would be greater in the end. “I know I can trust you with her. If she wakes, tell her that I will be back to talk to her. Do not treat her as a prisoner of war.”

Dedue bowed. “I understand, Your Majesty. I know you will not want me touching her. Will you rearrange her arms so they are above her head? One of my plans is a pair of cuffs for mages. She will not be able to cast spells and it will make it harder for her to escape.” 

Dimitri had forgotten how adept a mage she was. He made sure that most of her remained covered by his cloak as he pulled her arms over her head so her wrists met. She had no reaction to his touch. It made him wonder if she was aware of what was happening to her body. 

Dedue nodded and Dimitri left. He would need to think up an excuse for later nights. Dimitri knew Dedue wouldn’t do anything to her, but he was surprised as to how agitated he felt just leaving the room. He hadn’t realized how relaxed he had been around her. He needed to do some reconnaissance and make sure that no one suspected what was brought to him today. He would make sure to have Dedue keep an ear out for rumors.

Rhea, Seteth, and Flayn were already waiting for him at the table that was set for four. The meal was almost ready to be brought out and he had to put up his walls that had kept them at arm's length. He may have been required to keep them here, but that didn’t mean that he fully trusted them. Rhea’s purpose for him was to be a weapon and while he didn’t mind the role, he wondered what was the reason behind that rage. She had taken Byleth’s betrayal personally and she was the largest threat to his plan right now.

“I heard that a scouting party came back from the monastery today. The captain said it was a part of a demonic beast that he hadn’t seen before. I’m surprised they bothered you with it to you.”

Of course, Rhea would start with that. 

“I had Dedue take care of it. It was no concern of mine,” he replied. 

Rhea took a sip of her wine. “I see, should they be punished for wasting your time?”

Dimitri shook his head. “I already have.”

Rhea mused a moment on that. “The Millenium Festival is coming up. I’d like to hold a ceremony here in Fhirdiad.”

“I wish I could give you the monastery to do it in instead,” Dimitri said offhandedly as the food was delivered. 

“What would be better is Byleth’s head on this table. She was nothing but a failed project,” Rhea hissed.

“Rhea, we talked about this. Do you want to do that to your own kin? There is still hope for her,” Seteth said. 

Rhea slammed her fist onto the table. “She chose that sinner. When we find her if she does not atone I will be tearing her heart out myself and trying again.” 

Flayn cut into her food. “Edelgard was her student. When I was in the class with them I didn’t suspect a thing either. She was probably just confused and wanted to find out why everything was happening. You didn’t give her much choice…” 

“There is always a choice!” Rhea roared. “When she came back she could have run from Edelgard and joined us then, but she didn’t!” 

“If she is found and wants to join our side, what then? She’s been gone for five years. That’s a long time to hide,” Dimitri asked.

Rhea sat back in her seat. “If she joins that sinner again her life is forfeit. If by some miracle she would choose her family… I’m sorry for bringing up such a distasteful subject. Let us eat and give praise to the goddess that Fhirdiad stays strong.” 

Dimitri nodded and finished the food in front of him before excusing himself. Rhea was the biggest threat to Byleth within this castle. Rhea would need to be dealt with or brought to the realization that Byleth was no longer a threat or an enemy. Once Byleth accepted her role at his side he would take care of those that would stand in his way. 

When he got back to his room Dedue was sitting on the floor near the bathroom. He had one of her boots in his hand and a scrub brush in the other. “I am almost done cleaning up her things. I’ll be out of your way shortly.”

Dimitri’s gaze went to the cuffs on the bedside. They gleamed next to a bowl of water and a towel. “I thought you intended to put them on her.”

Dedue looked up. “Yes, I put them near her hands and she flinched and gasped like she was in pain. If I had to take a guess she’s still healing and her sleep is magical in nature. I would not put the cuffs on her until she wakes on her own.”

Dimitri went forward to caress her cheek before he leaned down to lay his lips against her skin. The floral scent from the soap he used clung to her and he grinned. Much better than her previous state. 

“Make sure you talk to the captain that brought her today. Rhea mentioned that his story was that it was part of a demonic beast that was his delivery today. I told her that you were the one to take care of it, but we need to make sure that is what they are saying,” Dimitri said.

Dedue nodded. “I can confirm that. I almost sent him away earlier when he gave me the story. He was adamant that he needed to see you and what was brought and only you. Seteth was coming near so I decided to let them through and deter Seteth from getting any closer.” 

Dimitri turned his attention to her sword and dagger, looking for a hiding place until he could determine if his plan would work or not. When they were securely hidden away he took off his boots.

Dedue stood and told Dimitri that he’d be back with clothes for her shortly before he left. Dimitri noticed that her clothes were hanging where the towels were usually kept and the room cleaned. Dimitri went back to Byleth and stroked her cheek with the back of his hand. It wasn’t going to be that hard to fall into his role. He hoped that she would cooperate and fulfill hers without much of a fuss.

At first, he sat there beside her as he continued to caress and talk to her about his plans. When Dedue came back he carried some garments for her. Dimitri had Dedue place it in his training room that branched off of this one.

Dedue kneeled to him when he returned. “The ring should be ready by tomorrow and I can pick up the one for her. Do you have a preference?”

Dimitri ran some strands of her hair through his fingers. “Emerald would suit her eyes well.”

Dedue nodded. “There is a pitcher of water and some fruit on the table if you are in need of nourishment. I will make sure that you are not disturbed. Do you have any other needs before I go?”

Dimitri’s reply of no, was distracted. Dedue rose and left the room without another word. Dimitri smiled, finally alone, he would be undisturbed as he explored his prize. He took off his own clothing, and had to stroke his throbbing cock. The maddening desire to have some relief coursed through him, but he didn’t want to be distracted by his needs just yet. He pulled his cape away from her. The firelight behind him illuminated her beautifully.

He came onto the bed beside her as he licked his lips. This was better than his greatest fantasies. As he knelt down to kiss her he moaned as his cock brushed up against her soft skin. That sent his hands trailing over her, trying to memorize every detail of his new bride. 

He had learned enough about prepping the woman’s body and making her feel good through some of Sylvain’s talks. While she might not be aware of what’s happening to her, he didn’t want her to wake up in pain. There also wasn’t a healer other than Mercedes that he could trust if he hurt her. As much as he wanted to just ram himself inside and stay the night inside her cunt he needed to keep her well-being in mind. 

He had all night with her at the very least. The Millennium Festival wouldn’t be for another three days. He would be able to avoid needing to interact with the others that dwelled in his castle to stay with her.

The soft flesh of her breasts brought Dimiti’s attention away from where his tongue was exploring her mouth. He had dreamed of nestling his head against them many times, and sometimes his thoughts would become more lewd as time went on. He licked the peak tentatively before he latched his mouth around it and moaned at how her breast would squish and stretch in his grip. His other hand traveled further down to her core. 

He let go of her breast as he pulled his mouth off with a small popping sound, marveling at how taunt and perky the nipple had become versus the one he hadn’t given any attention to. Small sounds escaped her lips. He would love to hear her cry out his name, but that would need to wait. This worked in his favor, to be able to explore her without hurting her. 

He nudged her legs apart as he turned his exploration to where he could truly claim her as his. He brushed his thumb against her folds. He was surprised to find it glistening for him. His cock was throbbing painfully, but there should be more moisture so it wouldn’t be uncomfortable for him to have her. She at least wouldn’t be struggling. That would make things easier. His cock was starting to drip his precum onto the sheets and he used it to coat his cock as he stroked it lazily. 

He leaned his head down and licked a broad stripe across her folds. He used his fingers that were lubed up by the precum to enter her. She was so warm, but there was too much resistance. He combined his tongue with his fingers, helping to coat her as he enjoyed the musky scent of her. Dimitri wished he could taste her, but he had lost that sense long ago. He could feel her getting wetter and those soft whimpers were driving him over the edge. 

He leaned back as he had an idea. If she wasn’t ready to take him yet, then he would just need to continue to help her. He lifted her ass up so his cock could slide over her folds. He couldn’t help but shiver at the feeling. He was starting to get dangerously close to climax. He looked down at her and marveled that this was real. Byleth was here naked and in his bed.

Moving back and using his fingers again he could tell that she was tight, but the resistance didn’t seem as apparent as the last time. He took his throbbing cock in his hands as he brought himself to climax. Right before he was about to burst he slid just the head of his cock into her. The heat was so inviting as he shot thick white ropes into her. It helped lubricate her enough that he could start pushing himself deeper. His head fell back as his vision whited out at the bliss of being inside of her. 

He would normally curse the fact that he stayed hard after he climaxed. The beast inside of him was never satisfied with just one, and it required him to rub himself off until he was almost raw. Right now it was a blessing. He didn’t want to leave this paradise her body provided. 

Her breathing had increased to pants. Her expression was still serene. He reached out to grab her swaying breasts and toyed with the nipples between his fingers. “You are so beautiful. When you wake... I look forward to the expressions you’ll make for me… finally mine.”

He saw her fingers flex before her walls tightened around him. He felt a flood of moisture as her cunt pulsed around him before she relaxed once more. Her body accepted him without hesitation, taking her pleasure from his actions. He grinned wide as he leaned down over her. 

He caressed her face with the back of his hand. “I’m glad the thought of being mine is enough to push you over the edge. I’ll make sure you are satisfied, my sweet Professor, no my lovely wife.”

He kissed her then, pretending that was why she didn’t moan or scream out her pleasure as his pace increased. The lewd slap of skin on skin only drove his senses further as he realized that she was truly his. As long as she stayed like this she couldn’t betray him. Her body was honest and he would find every point that intensified her pleasure. 

He came again inside of her as his hands came to caress her stomach. As his queen, she would be the one to produce his heir. Almost all of his family had been taken from him. He had never entertained the thought of a family with the reality that he may never survive long enough to enjoy it, but with her, he had a chance. Just imagining her belly swollen with their child, made him bury himself deeper into her heat, giving her every drop he could. 

She had always been caring to them all at the academy. She always made time to listen to any student or teacher that wanted to bend her ear. No fear was too trivial to talk to her about. She would make an excellent mother. Once this war saw its end he could have the family he had always desired.

He spent the rest of the night exploring her and buried himself inside her many more times. He found the oil that Dedue left next to the bowl of water. Part of him wished he found it earlier but it was extremely satisfying knowing that he was able to do it with their combined efforts alone. His fingers teased every inch of her flesh. The marks that bloomed on her skin from his mouth and teeth were proof that he had claimed her. 

When he was finally worn out from all the play he nestled her on top of him as he buried himself inside her one more time. He didn’t want to leave her warmth. Her weight felt wonderful on top of him. 

The next two days were much the same as he filled her cunt over and over. He bathed them both at one point just to relax and lean her against him. He went out only briefly and when he knew Dedue was guarding the door. The rings were placed, and he kept his under a pair of gloves when he went out. 

Then came the day of the Millennium festival, and his prayers were answered. He had just finished a round and climaxed inside her. She grunted in disorientation as her eyes blinked open as she climaxed. Her expression was confused, but that moan drove him over the edge again. 

He grinned wide as he caressed her hair out of her face. “There you are. I was wondering how long you’d stay asleep my beloved.”

“What... “

He kissed her deeply, and he could feel her shrinking away from him. He remembered Dedue’s warning about her magic and reached for the cuffs. He had them on her wrists before he retreated his kiss. She was still confused and seemed disoriented. 

She licked her lips nervously. “Where am I?”

Dimitri rocked his hips slowly as he kissed her neck. “In our bedroom. You’re in Fhirdiad, love.”

He felt her shiver as he ran his hands along her sides. “Fhirdi… Dimitri… is that you? What happened? How… how long have I been asleep?”

Dimitri palmed her breasts. “What’s the last thing you remember?”

Her shivering increased as he toyed with her nipple. Her breathing was coming in pants as he continued his languid thrusting. “The battle at the monastery, Rhea… dragon.”

Her back arched as she brought her hands up against his arms and her nails dug into his skin. He felt her cunt pulse around his cock again. She grunted out his name and Goddess he wanted to hear it more often. 

He pulled himself down to kiss her again. “That was five years ago Byleth.” 

Her eyes widened before he captured her lips with his. She started to push against his chest. He pulled back up when she tried to squirm away. He grabbed her hips and pushed his cock all the hilt inside of her. He was not going to be pushed out of his paradise. She wrapped her legs around him in an attempt to try to kick his side or flip him, but he wasn’t about to let that happen either. He moved his arms so he had her legs pinned as he used the leverage to thrust deeper and faster inside of her.

“Why?” Byleth managed to stutter out.

He brought the hand that had the ring into her view. “My men found you and brought you to me. I’m sorry I started the fun without you, but it was too tempting a thought to claim you as my wife to be able to stop myself. You are finally mine, and where you belong.” 

She brought her own hand into view and her face paled. She was blinking rapidly. He tilted the angle of his thrusts and she gasped. 

He grinned before he hit that same spot again, tearing a moan from her lips. “Don’t fight it. Your body has been nothing but honest while you’ve been asleep. I’ve lost count how many times you’ve cum for me.” 

Her eyes turned misty, as she grit her teeth. He felt her walls clench around him. She was almost there. He curled his arm around her leg so he could brush his thumb against her clit. She jerked before he felt her shudder again. It was stronger than the ones when she was asleep. Dimitri kissed her forehead as she panted. 

He rolled over so she was on top of him as he stayed buried inside of her. She was shivering again. He grabbed the blanket and pulled it over them both. She looked around with wide eyes. The shaking only increased. 

He grabbed her chin and brought her gaze to his. “It’s alright my love. I will keep you safe. I’m sorry for the rude awakening.”

He caressed her back with his other hand. When she tried to pull herself off of him he pushed her back down with a firm hand on her ass. 

Her brows knit together in confusion. "Dimitri… I don't understand. Why are you doing this? The war, where is Ede-"

He gave her a particularly hard thrust to cut off her words. "Do not speak her name in my presence."

Byleth flinched at his tone. "I'm just confused. You're saying I've been asleep for five years. How long have you been doing this to me?"

"All I've done is give you pleasure and hope that you would wake up so we could truly be together.' Dimitri buried his hand into her hair as he kept her gaze from moving away. 'As for your previous question, the war is at a stalemate. She still sends her troops to destroy what she can. Her flames are destroying Fodlan piece by piece."

"I don't believe you." There was a slight quivering to her voice that he never heard before. She was always so steadfast and headstrong.

"Just take in your situation. Why haven't you been rescued by now? Do you think any of them care where you are? They might even think you died all those years ago. She is too wrapped up in her war to care." His tone was as harsh as his words.

All she did was stare with her mouth hanging open.

He moved in to kiss her neck and whisper in her ear. "I found you, I have been the one taking care of you. I won’t let anyone take you away from me or harm you."

She was stunned into silence for a moment before she bit her lip. "Yes, I liked you, I was attracted to you, and maybe fantasized a little about joining your bed, but... not like this."

Her admission made him grin before he rose up to capture her lips with his own as he forced her mouth open so he could explore. She gave a muffled cry before he felt her fists on his chest relax.

When she kissed him back, she was tentative at first, but he couldn’t help but moan at the feeling. He had been the one kissing her, to have it returned was euphoric. He couldn’t stop his hips from moving as he rocked his cock inside of her. He kept his pace gentle as he buried his hand in her hair and stroked small lines into her back. 

He broke the kiss, only to start nibbling and kissing her neck. "It was a dream come true to have you delivered to me."

He nuzzled his face into her hair. "As long as you behave I won't need to make any unnecessary demands of you. The last thing I want is to be forced to hurt or restrain you. I have ways of making you compliant if you refuse, but I'd rather you choose me."

Her face twisted into anger. "So what, you plan on keeping me like your personal cock warmer in exchange for this so called safety?"

Dimitri mused a moment. "Pretty apt description actually. I've found I enjoy having the constant reminder that you're with me. As my wife, you'll be expected to produce my heir. If you haven't taken to my seed yet then we'll just have to keep trying then, won't we?"

She raised her hands as she glared at the cuffs. "Great show of faith with these."  


He stroked his fingers around the cuffs. They didn't seem like they were too tight on her. "Just a necessary precaution, love. They'll come off in time."

She made a motion with her hands and then hissed as the cuffs lit up.

Dimitri tsked. “Would you really attack me with your magic? We can be civil about this can’t we?”

Byleth’s eyes widened as real fear hid within her gaze. Her hands shook. “No pulse…” 

Dimitri smoothed back her hair behind her ear. “Yes I noticed the other night when I had my head nestled against your breast that you didn’t have a heartbeat, but I can feel your pulse just fine. Has it always been that way? If not for your breathing, you could have been mistaken for a corpse.”

Her brows knotted together as she processed his sentence. “The other night... Dimitri, how long have you had me like this at your disposal?”

Her body was shaking, her eyes wide, and her tone was getting higher. She was truly starting to panic and he had to find a way to soothe her. He knew that if she tried to fight him he could end up hurting her by accident. "Do you know how long I've waited to have you in my arms, Byleth? I was like the others. I thought you died that day, but I hoped and I send out my men to search. We finally found you, and they brought you straight to me. I will take care of you. I will make sure that you are satisfied here with me. All that I ask in return is that you become my queen."

Vivid green eyes met his blue ones. "And if I refuse?"

A dark smile crossed Dimitri's face as he reached up to cup her cheek. "Then that means I'll just have to try harder to convince you that this is where you truly belong."

Because there was no way that he'd let her go. 


	3. Rude Awakening

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Byleth’s pov

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So starts off with her pov so yeah triggers are going to be fear and confusion but you also already know what he's doing. 
> 
> Also I repeat i don't condone the actions I know its probably way more horrifying than this, but I won't write what would (not really sure what to put here- freak out, scare, just the fact that it's not the vibe i'm going for), also gotta go where plot works best. 
> 
> Please take care of yourselves.

Byleth was still trying to shake the groggy feeling that made her body want to go back to sleep. It was hard to function. The sensations she felt made no sense to her. She didn’t have time to dwell on them long before pleasure ripped through her body. There was no mistaking the orgasm that had her inner walls pulsing around a cock. 

Despite the confusion, she couldn’t help the moan that came from her lips. She must be having some sort of wet dream or else she was in a nightmare. It always took her so long to climax when she rubbed herself off, even longer when she was with a partner, but this felt easy to give into. 

“There you are. I was wondering how long you would stay asleep beloved.” There was a large hand caressing her face. The voice sounded familiar but her head was still so hazy.

The word 'what' barely left her lips before whoever this was kissed her. Ok, not dreaming. She tried to squirm away. Who was this?

The last thing she remembered was the ground crumbling beneath her feet as Edelgard and Hubert called out for her. Her body wasn’t in pain. Some places were a little sore, but those sensations were more pinpoint. If she fell she’d expect broken bones, or, at the very least, a large bruised impact point. 

Then something cold attached to her wrists as a resounding click echoed in her ears. What in the world?

When the man on top of her pulled away she almost didn’t want to believe what she was seeing. Whoever this was reminded her so much of Dimitri. 

The color of his hair and eyes were almost a dead ringer for the prince, but he was older than the Dimitri she knew. It could possibly be his uncle Rufus with the resemblance, but that thought made her skin crawl. The last thing she wanted was to look into his eyes and wish it was Dimitri instead. She didn't want to taint her memory of him that way.

She licked her lips, trying to get the courage to ask him who he was, but she didn’t want those suspicions confirmed. “Where am I?” 

He rocked his hips as he leaned down to kiss her neck. “In our bedroom. You’re in Fhirdiad, love.”

That voice… it couldn't be. The kiss he left lathered her skin with his tongue and teeth. It felt so nice... our? She wished her head would stop splitting and let her think. 

Dimitri wouldn't do something like this, but it was the only thing that made any sort of sense. She knew about the amount of lust Dimitri had for her even back then. They had shared one kiss during the academy years. It was as if she released all of his pent-up desires with that kiss and it made her burn with the intensity they shared with it. Dimitri’s voice had the same husky quality when he asked her to come back with him to Fhirdiad all that time ago.

Her mind went back to the memory of that day. His eyes had been half-closed after the first kiss that sent her reeling, wondering where all the feelings were coming from. She had been kissed before, even had sex before, but never had her mind or body reacted in such a way. She had been called a cold fish more times than she could count, but the heat she felt in that moment made her cheeks burn.

He cradled her head between his hands as he put her forehead to hers. "Professor, may I kiss you again? I don't know where I find the courage, but I'd like to ask. Once I graduate, would you come back to Fhirdiad with me?"

His face hovered over hers and she closed the distance, tangling her fingers into his shirt. The world fell away as they became a tangle of breath and limbs. 

Dimitri would not remember that version of his birthday. She pulsed it back after Hubert stormed into the gazebo space with Seteth close behind, breaking the two of them apart and belittling her for her behavior as a teacher. 

It was when Dimitri threw a punch at them for insulting her that she knew she had to take it back. She had never seen such a dark look on Dimitri’s face. She wasn’t worth the prince getting into trouble for. 

It was as they said, she was only a mercenary. Someone like her had no place next to nobility; she never should have let him kiss her in the first place. Nor should she have returned it. 

If this was the same Dimitri she knew, for him to change so much physically... 

A shiver came unbidden as he ran his hands along her sides. It didn't help that her body was welcoming him as if she were made for him. Every stroke he made had his cock stretching her. There was a wet sound with every move he made as well as the slap of skin on skin.

Something stirred in her memory of another touch. A different kiss she knew that she had no recollection of before this. “I’m glad the thought of being mine is enough to push you over the edge. I’ll make sure you are satisfied, my sweet Professor, no my lovely wife.” 

Was that real? It was the same voice using Professor and something she recognized. Could it really be Dimitri? What did he mean by wife?

“Fhirdi… Dimitri… is that you?" The way his eyes lit up and he smiled down at her when his name left her lips was all the confirmation she needed. 

Her mind started to race. This was her prince, but why did he look so different? When had he allowed the darkness to swallow him whole like this? "What happened? How… how long have I been asleep?”

Dimitri palmed her breasts; were his hands always this large? “What’s the last thing you remember?”

Her shivering increased as he toyed with her nipple. Her breathing was coming in pants as he continued his languid thrusting. She wished he would stop, it was hard enough to focus through the haze in her mind without the pleasure building. Should she even be enjoying this? 

“The battle at the monastery, Rhea… dragon.”

Her back arched as she brought her hands up against his arms and her nails dug into his skin as she climaxed again. She grunted out his name as she tried to swallow past the lump in her throat at the sight of metal on her wrists. Her entire body was shaking as she felt herself pulse around him. 

Did climaxing always make her feel this weak? She couldn’t remember feeling like this before.

He seemed pleased with himself, his eyes closed as he savored the feel of her. She could feel his cock twitch inside her in response to her pulsing. 

Dimitri pulled himself down to kiss her again. “That was five years ago Byleth.” 

Her eyes widened before he captured her lips with his. Five years? That couldn't be right. How long had he had her? Where were her Eagles? Her mind was buzzing and starting to get alert from the panic and confusion that set in. 

She started to push against his chest. He pulled back up when she tried to squirm away. He grabbed her hips and pushed his cock all the hilt inside of her. The stretch was uncomfortable and she felt his fingers dig into already sore flesh. She was starting to register where her aches were. It was like she had been knocked around with a practice sword in the same spot over and over. 

Her hips had the worst of it, but she remembered how many lances he snapped without thinking about it. She was stiff, but that could be from non use. What she wondered the most, was how long had she been his ragdoll? Phantom touches lingered in her mind, but nothing substantial would tell her what he did or how long he had her.

With him pulled back she was finally able to study what she could see of him. The last time she saw him he had been eighteen. His hair and demeanor sometimes reminded her of a puppy who would follow at her heels, eager for any praise that left her lips.

Now his hair reminded her more of a shaggy lion's mane. She was curious about how much larger he got over the years. She couldn't tell while he was bent over her like this. Dimitri was already taller than her in the academy. Hubert had been tall too, but not this muscular. The width of Dimitri’s chest allowed him to wrap his arms around her easily. 

Dimitri had always been handsome to her, but now… why did he have to do this to her? The fact he had taken advantage of her was despicable, but even now he wasn't trying to hurt her. She wasn't sure if being nice was enough for him to earn her forgiveness.

She wrapped her legs around him in an attempt to try to kick his side or flip him, but he only took advantage of her movements. He moved his arms so he had her legs pinned as he used the leverage to thrust deeper and faster inside of her.

“Why?” Byleth managed to stutter out. She wanted to ask why me, but then again, she knew already. 

She heard the want in his voice back then and it tangled with the voice he used now. What was only a month or so a memory for her would have years of pent up desire for him. A burning to have her; to make her his. It had consumed him.

Dimitri moved his hand and she caught sight of her parent's ring. “My men found you and brought you to me. I’m sorry I started the fun without you, but it was too tempting a thought to claim you as my wife to be able to stop myself. You are finally mine, and where you belong.” 

She brought her own hand into view. A slender silver ring with emeralds was on her hand. She knew the hidden question in his request back then. 

He still wanted her to be his Queen. It seems now that he decided that he would not take no for an answer since he was given this opportunity. Her mind was still trying to process if there was a way out of this when he hit a spot that made her gasp. 

He grinned before he hit that same spot again, tearing a moan from her lips. “Don’t fight it. Your body has been nothing but honest while you’ve been asleep. I’ve lost count how many times you’ve cum for me.” 

That statement went over her like ice water. Other phrases he used came unbidden into her mind. Phantom touches and the feeling of her body shuttering and releasing over and over while he whispered encouragements in her ear echoed in her memory. 

The partners in the past had always blamed her for the lack of pleasure. There was no denying that she felt the buildup now. Felt it then when she was still unconscious. The thought scared her. Was it just because it was him, or was she always keeping herself from enjoying any of her interactions in the past? What did that even mean for her? 

Her eyes turned misty; why couldn't he have been patient? If he had courted her properly… but when had there been time? She had been considering taking the chance with him, but Edelgard made her move and Byleth knew there wouldn't be any forgiveness for her actions.

She grit her teeth as she was reminded of that fact. Dimitri was an enemy that Edelgard had said they would need to fight in order for the plan to succeed. Byleth never voiced her naive thinking that perhaps he could be talked out of it. Dimitri was the most resolute person she knew. 

Once Dimitri made up his mind he didn't go back on his word. 

He could have killed her. She betrayed him by joining Edelgard’s side, but instead he decided that she should be his. What was worse?

Dimitri didn't ask for much. He could forgive her and let her live, but it would mean betraying her Eagles. 

She had joined them because Edelgard was the one that almost died that day. Both Claude and Dimitri fought well enough on their own. Over the time Byleth considered the Eagles her new mercenary family. Brothers and sisters in arms.

None of them looked for her. They abandoned her. Five years had passed and Dimitri was the only one who cared enough to look for her. To want her enough to make her his. Not as a weapon, but to be at his side.

Dimitri's voice was thick with desire, but she didn't sense any malice behind it. Nothing in her memory was harsh or cruel, be it his words or his actions. He hadn’t stopped moving, not since she regained consciousness. This would be what, her third orgasm? It was barely something that happened once and yet he managed this?

To be able to give her more pleasure then she deserved for her sins. For him to be able to love a heartless demon like herself, what would rejecting him mean for her?

A smile stretched across his face. He curled his arm around her leg so he could brush his thumb against her clit. The sensation made her jerk. His touch was more gentle than she thought his brute strength left him capable of. He seemed to know exactly how to set her off. 

It wasn’t long before the tidal wave his actions summoned had even her legs shaking in his arms as she panted.

Dimitri leaned over her to kiss her forehead. His face was serene with a pleased smile on his face when he pulled back. His hands were rubbing over her gently. This nightmare scenario wasn't playing out how she thought it should be. 

He was treating her like a lover should. That thought still frazzled the edges of her mind. This couldn’t be normal, but when has anything in her life ever been normal?

Would submitting to him really be that bad when he could give her this?

She could still feel herself clamp down and pulse around his cock. There was still the occasional twitch, but her body was finally starting to calm down. She had never orgasmed that hard before. It left her dizzy and spent.

He rolled over so she was on top of him as he stayed buried inside of her. Fear started to grip her. She had heard from some of the other mercenaries of men who didn't give a damn about the woman's pleasure and just used them however they wanted for the night they had them. 

Dimitri seemed to care about her pleasure too, but how long would that last now that she was awake? Would he change his mind?

He was studying her face, stroking her cheek before her shivering got worse. Dimitri grabbed a blanket to put over the top of them. She felt weak, barely able to push herself off of his chest.

She looked around. This was her new reality. The room was well furnished, there was even a table in the corner. The bed they were in was a four poster with large curtains attached to, but what did she expect from a king's suite? The windows looked like they were boarded over from the inside with large shutters. Large silver bolts kept them shut.

The sight of those and the cuffs on her wrists brought her thoughts to she was for all intents and purposes his prisoner here. 

He grabbed her chin and brought her gaze to his. “It’s alright my love. I will keep you safe. I’m sorry for the rude awakening.”

Again there was no malice in those blue depths. He believed every word he spoke. Rude awakening was putting it lightly. It made her wonder how he actually intended for their first conversation to pan out. He was stroking her back in a soothing manner. 

The only intrusion to the almost intimate moment was his cock still hard and twitching inside of her. Weren’t men supposed to go soft when they weren't actively fucking someone? The angle had him pressed up against that spot that made her moan earlier. 

She squirmed on top of him, trying to find a comfortable spot that wasn't going to drive her horny in his grasp. She could feel the liquid dripping out of her onto her thighs in thick globs. How many times had he climaxed inside of her? That thought made her pale again. She wasn't ready to be a mother.

She tried pulling herself off, but Dimitri grabbed her ass and kept her down. 

Her brows knit together in confusion. "Dimitri… I don't understand. Why are you doing this? The war, where is Ede-"

He gave her a particularly hard thrust to cut off her words as the warmth in his eyes froze over. It was the first time since she woke up that she had seen any hint of anger from him. The thrust had also knocked some air out of her lungs as she bounced on top of him. 

"Do not speak her name in my presence." Byleth flinched at his tone. It was harsh and commanding. His grip tightened on her too. 

She needed to defuse him, quickly. "I'm just confused. You're saying I've been asleep for five years. How long have you been doing this to me?"

"All I've done is give you pleasure and hope that you would wake up so we could truly be together.' Dimitri buried his hand into her hair as he kept her gaze from moving away. 'As for your previous question, the war is at a stalemate. She still sends her troops to destroy what she can. Her flames are destroying Fodlan piece by piece."

"I don't believe you." Why would Edelgard be playing the slow game? She could end this war in only a few months with the numbers she had at her disposal.

"Just take in your situation. Why haven't you been rescued by now? Do you think any of them care where you are? They might even think you died all those years ago. She is too wrapped up in her war to care." His tone was as harsh as his words.

Byleth gaped as she tried to come up with some retort. Everything he said made sense, and her eyes stung at the truth of them.

He moved in to kiss her neck and whisper in her ear. "I found you; I have been the one taking care of you. I won’t let anyone take you away from me or harm you."

His touch on her was gentle. He punctuated every statement with another kiss. She wasn't sure what the right thing to say was. She had thought about him often. If the war hadn't started she might have even taken him up on his offer. There was a part of her still bothered by his actions now.

He leaned back to watch her again. She bit her lip. "Yes, I liked you, I was attracted to you, and maybe fantasized a little about joining your bed, but... not like this."

She had thought about taking him somewhere more private after she pulsed away their kiss. To find out what his passion would feel like uninterrupted by the others, but Seteth's lecture ran through her head. She was only a mercenary. She had no place next to a king; so she let those curiosities go. 

Even now Dimitri could have any woman that would throw themselves at him. Why would he want a demon like her? It was useless to fantasize about something she would never have. Never had her thoughts gone to waking up in his bed without knowing what was going on. That had scared her, and it wasn't often that she was frightened.

Her admission made him grin before he rose up to capture her lips with his own. It was heated like before and she felt his tongue probe her lips. Before she could open up for him he forced her mouth open with his thumb so he could explore. 

She gave a muffled cry as she felt his tongue invade her mouth. It surprised her, but she let her curiosity play out. She didn't like feeling afraid, and it was best to find out what he truly wanted. She could always pulse it back. So she relaxed and leaned into his embrace, letting her own tongue play with his after a moment.

His moan reverberated through her. His body started to move underneath her as he rocked at a steady, gentle pace. After the fierceness that had been his thrusts earlier, this was a pleasant change. When he buried his hand into her hair he deepened the kiss as his other hand stroked small lines into her back.

This she had never done before. Most partners didn't treat her like she mattered. The way he held her felt sweet and unhurried, like all he was doing was savoring her. 

He broke the kiss, only to start nibbling and kissing her neck. "It was a dream come true to have you delivered to me."

He tightened his hold on her and what he was doing with his lips felt good. The desire in his voice made her shiver. She could definitely believe that would be his sentiment.

He nuzzled his face into her hair. "As long as you behave I won't need to make any unnecessary demands of you." 

There was that commanding tone again. Behave how? Why did he have to ruin her calm and force anger to rise again?

"The last thing I want is to be forced to hurt or restrain you. I have ways of making you compliant if you refuse, but I'd rather you choose me."

If the first statement hadn't made her angry that did it. He had already restrained her and it looked as if she was locked in. And how had he planned to make her do anything she didn't want to? As a matter of fact, she wanted him out. He had overstayed his welcome, not that she had welcomed him, to begin with. 

Her face twisted into anger when he kept his hold on her to keep him inside. "So what, you plan on keeping me like your personal cock warmer in exchange for this so-called safety?"

Dimitri mused a moment. "Pretty apt description actually. I've found I enjoy having the constant reminder that you're with me."

Her glare narrowed at that cocky smile. His expression changed as his hands had moved to stroke her sides and stomach.

"As my wife, you'll be expected to produce my heir. If you haven't taken to my seed yet then we'll just have to keep trying then, won't we?"

She tried to swallow down her panic. There was still no malice, he sounded… hopeful might be right. She needed a different subject or she would end up showing him her fear. She didn't want him to know that he had that effect on her. Fear would give him an opportunity. 

She raised her hands as she glared at the cuffs. "Great show of faith with these."

He stroked his fingers around the cuffs, tracing along the edges and underneath. He was probably double checking how tight they were on her. "Just a necessary precaution, love. They'll come off in time."

Like hell, they would. She had to put a stop to this now. It hadn't been that long since she woke up. If she could just pulse back and wake herself up she might be able to fight her way out of this. 

She gathered her magic and moved her hands to turn the wheel back to pulse. She hissed as the cuffs burned her, a tingling feeling spread up her arms that sent sparks flaring through her. What in the world? Why couldn't she use her magic?

Dimitri tsked. “Would you really attack me with your magic? We can be civil about this can’t we?”

She felt the panic spill over her calm. Her hands shook at the realization that she was stuck with her decisions. She couldn't turn back time to turn things in her favor somehow. “No pulse…” 

Dimitri smoothed back her hair behind her ear. “Yes I noticed the other night when I had my head nestled against your breast that you didn’t have a heartbeat, but I can feel your pulse just fine. Has it always been that way? If not for your breathing, you could have been mistaken for a corpse.”

Her brows knotted together as she processed his sentence. He knew that she didn’t have a heartbeat and he still wanted her? Most people freaked out at finding out about it. Then the other wording he used caught her frightened mind.

“The other night... Dimitri, how long have you had me like this at your disposal?”

His eyes softened as he stroked his fingers through her hair. "Do you know how long I've waited to have you in my arms, Byleth?"

There was that tone again, that hopeful dreamy quality. The way he was looking at her too, no one had given her such an adoring gaze.

"I was like the others. I thought you died that day, but I hoped, and I sent out my men to search. We finally found you, and they brought you straight to me. I will take care of you. I will make sure that you are satisfied here with me. All that I ask in return is that you become my queen."

She barely registered his fingers stroking her cheek. Everything about this day was sending her reeling and not knowing what direction her mind should go. Fear, confusion, even a bit of outrage at his actions were being clawed away from her as helplessness left her numb. 

What was she even supposed to do? Even if she could fight him off she had no clothes, no weapon, no armor. Where would she even go if she managed to escape? Her father had avoided Fhirdiad during their travels so she had no idea which direction to even go. This was his castle and he surely had vassals and servants who would sooner return her to him than help her. 

If she did manage to get outside, winters were harsh. There was no telling what season it even was outside, or even what time of day. Dimitri would chase after her too if she chose to flee. During war she would be a prime target if anyone recognized her. There was also the fact that Rhea would want Byleth to stay dead.

Byleth wouldn't get far and it would only anger him. He was being nice and gentle now, almost loving in his actions, but how quickly would that change if she fought to leave him?

She needed to know the answer, and she met his gaze, knowing if he lied he wouldn't be able to meet her eyes. "And if I refuse?"

A dark smile crossed Dimitri's face as he reached up to cup her cheek with his other hand, this time making sure she couldn't retreat her gaze. "Then that means I'll just have to try harder to convince you that this is where you truly belong."

There was something in his voice that paired with that darker smile made her shiver. She wasn't sure she wanted to know what he would do if that were the case. 

For now, it would be best to lay low and figure out a plan. She didn't have her pulse so the first thing she'd have to do is get out of the cuffs. She had to get the shaking and her breathing under control before that. 

There was the fact that she couldn't get comfortable too. "May I lay beside you? I'm not sure why you haven't let me off, but I'm not used to this."

His smile fell into a grim line. "I am surprised to hear that which as much as I stayed inside while you were out. I am glad that you are awake, so I will oblige you this time."

This time? She had used the term when she was still a bit pissed off, but she hadn't expected that he would be serious about wanting her to stay even when they weren't actively being intimate.

He grabbed her waist as he pulled himself out of her. She hadn’t been prepared for the amount that would leak out of her or the empty feeling his retreat left behind. He laid her down, but what she didn’t understand was why he was bending lower over her.

"Apologizes for the mess.” His lips grazed her stomach before he moved his attention to the swollen flesh at her core.

She wasn’t sure what he intended until she felt his tongue swipe over her folds. Her breath caught in her throat. She moved her hands to his hair with the intention of pushing him away, but every lick felt soothing against her overused entrance. 

He brought his gaze up to meet hers before he growled and pressed in further. The hands that were going to push him away ended up clenching in his hair as she felt that now familiar build-up. What was it about him that could turn her usual solid exterior molten?

He moaned against her as her grip got tighter. He seemed to know just what to do to get her panting for him. His fingers kneaded into her ass as his shoulders spread her legs wide for him. There was something about having him here cleaning and servicing her with his mouth that had her mind reeling. 

"Dimitri," his name was barely an exhaled breath, but he paused long enough to look up at her.

She wasn't sure what he saw in her, but it made him lick his lips before going back down on her with a new vigor. He had her shaking after alternating his attention between her clit and her folds. 

This time when she said his name it came out as a moan as her hips bucked up towards his mouth. 

He lapped up the last bit of her orgasm before he rested his head against her thigh. His grin was smug as he stroked her sides with the back of his hand. "Did you enjoy that love?"

She didn't want to admit it, but it had felt good; she wouldn't have climaxed off it otherwise.

"I… yes," telling him had felt like she was losing more control over the situation, but she was never one for lies.

The smile that spread across his face was breathtaking. “Are you hungry or thirsty?" 

Her throat was dry. "I am, water especially sounds nice."

He nodded before he moved to grab a towel at the bedside to wipe his face with. "Just stay put and I'll bring it here to you."

That wasn't going to be hard to do. Her body felt like jelly. If she tried to stand, her legs would probably quake under her. Her gaze went to his cock, wondering how he had fit the entirety inside of her earlier.

He caught her staring and she watched as his cock bobbed at the attention. “You may touch me if you like.” 

His words snapped her out of her trance. She was hesitant, not even sure if she wanted to. 

He leaned down to take her hand. “Just as you are mine, I am yours. Explore me to your heart’s content.”

He laid her hand on his stomach, right above the blonde stripe of hair that trailed down to his cock. She stroked through the hair with her thumb and Dimitri shivered. She took her other hand and laid it on him as she explored. His ab muscles under her palm were well defined. His narrow waist filled out to those wider shoulders. There were several scars marring his skin. Even on his knees like this, he was still towering over her. 

He kept his hands to his sides for the moment, giving her a chance to do what she wanted. What did she even want? She trailed her nails down until she had her hand on his cock. 

Dimitri’s breathing increased. The restraint holding him back was starting to fray based on the trembling of his hands. "Please," the word was breathless; spoken like a prayer.

Memories of previous partners flashed through her mind. They had been demanding jerks who wanted her to make up for her lack of enthusiasm. Lack of being able to feel guilt usually made her want to leave. She didn't go looking for many interactions after. 

When her father found out he was understanding to her, but furious at the ones who treated her that way. He told her that when she found someone who loved her it would be different. So she stopped with the random hookups. She had only been curious because the other female mercs wouldn't shut up about it.

This was different. Dimitri had found her; had searched for her because he wanted to be with her.

It wasn’t like she was going anywhere anytime soon. She could get angry all she wanted, but it wouldn't improve the situation. The more trust he felt she had in him the looser her leash would be until the time was right to make her move.

So curiosity got the better of her. Fear would not help her right now. The pleasure earlier was something she had never felt before. If she could return the favor by something as simple as touching him back, then what was the harm?

She decided to do the same thing he had done by cleaning her. The moment she brought her lips to his cock she looked up. Desire was etched on his face. It wasn’t long before he was at her mercy. His pants and moans drove her tongue faster as her fingers stroked him.

He was tentative to put his hands on her head, but she felt them tangle in her hair the moment she took the head of him into her mouth. His cock was large, and it took her a few passes to get it right. He seemed to like it when she curled her tongue to cradle the underside of him.

He was chanting her name like a prayer. Halfway was about as far as she could go without sputtering. She winced when he squeezed her head a little too hard. She froze when she realized why he was so tentative. It wouldn't take much for him to crush her skull. 

The next touch she felt was from the back of his hand against her cheek. "You were doing so well."

She started to move again when she looked up. That adoring gaze was back. With every bob of her head she took him further in. It was hard to look away from his face once he caught her with that look. 

He pet her with his other hand as he rolled his hips. "You've gotten me so close, beloved."

The movement was pushing him further in than what she was capable of handling. Tears pricked her eyes as she felt drool escape her lips. 

The tears were wiped away as he pulled back for more shallow strokes. "One day you'll be able to handle all of me without any trouble."

That dark grin was back as he punctuated the sentence with a small thrust. She tried not to gag as it hit the back of her throat. He pulled back just as quickly, and together they found a rhythm and a depth she could handle. Dimitri's chest rose and fell as his breathing became harsher. 

He groaned when he came. It was thick on her tongue, bitter and a little salty. Only when he pumped out the last of his orgasm did he finally soften slightly in her mouth. She swallowed what she could, the rest dribbling onto her chin before she swirled her tongue around him to lick him clean.

She pulled back and he swiped the excess cum back into her mouth. "You exceed my expectations, love."

Byleth swallowed thickly. Water definitely sounded wonderful right now. 

He gave her another kiss on her hair before getting up. If the situation itself wasn't so wrong she would probably call the action sweet.

She examined the cuffs on her wrist as soon as his weight was off the bed. There didn't seem to be a spot for a key for her to lockpick. The center section had a space to attach links to, but right now they just looked like giant bracelets. 

Byleth turned her attention to Dimitri and she had been right; he would completely tower over her now with his height. Dimitri knocked on the door and it cracked open. 

"She's finally awake," Dimitri's voice was full of enthusiasm.

"I will find something to bring you both. Keep in mind that Rhea will expect you beside her when the festivities start. You only have a few hours before you must depart. All the borders and gates have been sealed off as you asked. No one will be allowed in or out of the city gates."

Byleth perked up on the mention of Rhea. She was here? What festivities were they talking about? The voice sounded like it could possibly be Dedue. Even if she had fought Dimitri off if Dedue was the one guarding the door she wouldn't be able to slip past his observant nature. Fighting that brick wall without her magic would be useless too.

"Good, I don't want any of her dogs anywhere near the inner city.” The way Dimitri spat the word her made Byleth wonder who he was talking about, but she could take a guess. 

The door shut and Dimitri turned away to go to the table. His back was turned to her now as he filled two goblets up from a metal pitcher. 

She gathered up the blanket to cover herself with. She was feeling cold and exposed. Looking down she tried not to blanch at all of the marks on her skin. Hickeys and bitemarks bloomed all over her. 

Some were starting to fade, but there were also some fresh ones. It was like his hands were imprinted on her hips with the red handprints. She was shaking again, not even noticing when he came back over to the bed and slipped back into it with her.

He pulled the blanket over her to help cover her and pressed against her. He was warm, and it was a shocking contrast to the goblet he put near her lips. The moment that she felt the water on her parched lips she took it from him and began to swallow it down. 

He reached over where he put his goblet down on the bedside as he chuckled at her. “No need to rush. There’s plenty more if you need it. Would you like mine as well?”

Byleth blushed over the rim of the goblet. “Please.”

He swapped her empty one for his and she drank it slower this time. His hands were back on her arms and shoulder as he pressed against her. She got about halfway through the goblet before he began to kiss at her neck. They were soft on her skin and she could barely hear him murmuring things like beautiful and mine. 

His arm coiled around her waist as his kisses stopped being featherlight touches to her skin. The feel of his teeth against her neck made her shudder. The goblet was taken from her hands as he moved to kiss her lips.

Uncertainty plagued her mind again. What was the right reaction here? The moment she heard the clink of the goblet being placed on the bedside table he moved all of his attention to her as his kisses deepened. Both hands came to caress her and she shivered at the cold on his fingertips that lingered from the goblet. 

“You don’t know how enthralled I am to finally have you awake.’ He licked a stripe down the pulse point in her neck. ‘These past few days have been wonderful, but I would rather have you be able to touch me back. Those sounds and expressions you made for me earlier... it’s better than I could have imagined.”

“Few days?” she echoed as his teeth sunk into her neck.

He breathed her in as he licked the bitemark he left. “Yes, it’s as I said; she didn’t care enough to look. I had to go through the trouble of getting past her troops and sending my men into her territory to find you. That doesn’t matter now. No one will lay their hands on you except for me. I will keep you safe, beloved.”

Tears misted in her eyes as her fury rose. “Do you really think I can just… damn it, stop!”

She tried to shove him away, but he grabbed her arms and crossed them over herself as he pulled her against his chest in an embrace. “I know why you're angry. I should have waited, but I wasn't sure when or if you would even wake up. I didn’t want to hurt you. It was a good opportunity to learn so I wouldn’t fail you when the time came. I want to be a good husband to you. I want you to enjoy it too. I know you did. Your body doesn’t lie.”

Byleth grit her teeth. “I never agreed to be your wife Dimitri.”

He buried his face into her hair and she felt his sigh against her skin. "I can not lose you again. I will not lose you again."

Byleth tensed as the sorrow and conviction in his voice. Dimitri lifted his head and then rubbed where her skin was already red from his grip. "You know how easily I can break your limbs. I do not want that possibility, so please, refrain from struggling. The last thing I want to do is cause you pain.”

He was stating it as a matter of fact and not a threat. There was also a pleading tone behind his words. He released her arms, but coiled his arms around her waist and pulled her onto his lap. He wrapped himself around her as he leaned his head against her shoulder. The silence was deafening, his hold like iron against her skin.

A knock on the door made them both look towards it. Dedue’s voice filtered on the other side, muffled, but it was definitely his deep timbre. Dimitri covered them both up with the blanket and gave the command to enter. Byleth found herself backing into Dimitri’s chest. She didn’t like the thought of another person in the room while she was undressed. Dimitri’s hold tightened as his fingers ran along her sides softly as if to soothe her. Dedue brought in a small cart of covered dishes and left it near the door. 

Dedue had always been tall, but had he always been that broad? A wall was certainly an apt description of him now. He had a variety of scars that made Byleth wonder where he had gotten them all. 

Dedue lifted the lids off of the trays before he moved back to the door. “Will there be anything else Your Majesties?”

Dimitri “No, thank you Dedue.”

Dedue nodded. “It is good to finally see you awake My Queen. I know you might be frightened, but just know that His Majesty has always cared for you. If you need anything I am usually right outside this door.”

There was something else in words. A silent threat that she wouldn’t be able to escape if she tried.

Dedue shut the door behind him, leaving them both in the silence again. Dimitri kissed her shoulder before shifting her off of his lap. He grabbed the goblets and downed the rest of the contents of his. He poured more water into both before bringing the cart over to the bed. The plates held some fruit and slices of bread. It also looked like there were cubed grilled potatoes with slices of pork. 

Dimitri brought his hand to her chin so she could turn and face him. “Would you rather eat here or move to the table?”

Frankly, she didn’t want to eat at all, her stomach was still in knots. The smell that came from the food hit her and she knew she couldn’t deny the hunger that took over instead. 

Her stomach growled and his hold turned into a caress. “I will take care of you, beloved. Eat your fill.”

He sat down behind her and gave her a plate. She was confused when he didn’t touch the second plate. “What about you?”

He just chuckled and moved her hair aside so he could kiss her shoulder. “I can go out to get more for myself. I want to make sure you are taken care of. If you end up eating both plates it’s no concern of mine, just don’t make yourself sick. I always marveled at how much you managed to put away for that small frame of yours.”

His chest pressed against her back and she had to admit that the warmth felt nice. She tried to ignore him as she ate, but his touch sent sparks wherever his fingers trailed. 

It continued like that as he handed her the goblet when she reached for it. Her mind still rebelled, telling her she shouldn't be this calm, but why waste what was given to her? She was going to need her strength. He hadn’t stopped idly stroking her skin and laying kisses softly along her.

She did manage to eat almost everything before she felt too full. The last of it she held the fork out to him to ask if he wanted it. She didn't expect the blush that burned her cheeks when he ate off of it. After the empty plates and goblets were set back down onto the cart she wondered what was going to happen next. 

He had left his touches to her arms and sides while she was eating, but when he reached down to cup her breasts she flinched. He kissed her neck as he whispered soothing things against her. 

His cock was hardening against her ass. How was he able to recuperate so fast?

She tried to calm her breathing down. "Um, where's the bathroom?"

He pointed to a large opening to the right of the bed. "Through that door."

She nodded and made a move to get away from him.

He pulled her back against him. "I can sense your fear. There's no need for that. All of your enemies are outside of this room. I am the only one you need."

Fear still made her gulp.

He moved to pull a small vile from the bedside table. "If you want, I do have this prepared. No fear, no pesky thoughts ruining the mood. It will only enhance your pleasure. All you need to do is relax and trust me. I will take care of all your needs, beloved."

The offer was tempting, especially with how rampant her mind was running now. Part of her wanted to stay on full alert, but the other part of her wasn't looking forward to what was going to happen over the next few hours. She took the vile and downed it. It tasted sweet on her tongue. He leaned back against the pillows with a smug smile on his face.

She nodded before moving off the bed and making her way to the bathroom to relieve herself. She tried attacking the cuffs while he was out of sight to no avail.

Byleth jumped when she opened the door and saw him right outside. He had the bowl of water that was on the bedside and was rinsing it out in the bathroom sink. 

When he noticed her he placed the bowl down. "Come here."

She wasn’t sure why she obeyed, but she came over to him. He moved behind her and she looked at their reflections in the mirror. It was like watching another person when he cradled her breasts in his hands and her face twisted as she moaned. 

The hunger in his gaze caught her off guard as he trailed his hands everywhere, giving her complement after complement. She hadn't realized how wet she was until his fingers separated her folds. 

Their gazes locked in the mirror as he lifted her up. He teased her with his fingers while she writhed and watched him in the mirror. When he pulled his cock out in front of her it rubbed against her core she couldn't help but move her gaze to where their bodies met.

"Do you want me inside you again?" His voice was a purr in her ear. 

He made a slow stroke across her and her toes curled at both the sight and feel. Right or wrong it's what her body wanted. She nodded and that earned a dark chuckle in her ear.

"Use your words. I want to hear you beg."

She had never begged for anything. She wasn’t about to start now.

When she stayed silent she could see the teasing expression leave his face. "You will learn to take orders from your king."

Why was the room getting so warm all of the sudden? It was like her body was on fire. Friction, that was what she needed. She ground herself against his cock, trying to get just the right angle.

That dark smile crept along his face at the sight of her squirming in his hands. "The apothecary said it would work within a few minutes, but it would take a little longer for the full effect. I'll ask you again; do you want me inside you, beloved?"

She nodded, not able to be satisfied with just rubbing herself on him. "Yes."

He nibbled on her ear. "Yes, what?"

What more did he want? Her mind was getting hazy again, but this time it didn't bring along a pounding headache. "I want you inside of me."

"Your response should be my king, or my husband. If you give me a different pet name of your choosing then that is fine. My name will suffice as well since you are one of the few who will use it."

She didn't care about that right now. "Dimitri, please. I need friction. Too warm."

The amount of slick leaking out of her was enough to lubricate him as she rubbed. 

He moved his hand so he could angle himself to push inside. "Good enough for the moment. You'll learn. I'll make sure to reward you well when you follow my instructions."

She hadn't been aware before when he entered her before. The stretch was something different than his retreat. When he had pulled out she felt empty, but this felt good. It was nice to be full. He didn't have much resistance to contend with. Just the sight of his cock disappearing into her hole was mesmerizing to watch within itself.

When he was fully seated inside her he kept her held in the air. She was aware of all the moments through the mirror, including his eyes that devoured her as her breasts bounced in time to his strokes. As their faces twisted with pleasure and they both moaned she finally started to see what all of the talk was about. If it was supposed to feel like this she could understand why it was sought after.

She was getting warmer, less able to think as whatever it was seemed to melt her thoughts away. Soon all she could concentrate on was the feelings of pleasure as she felt the buildup. She didn't even recognize the moaning mess she had become. Then she shattered after her entire body trembled.

Byleth leaned against him as she panted. She looked wrecked, she felt it too. Her strength felt sapped. Dimitri looked pleased as he met her gaze in the mirror. Something else caught his attention and she followed his eyes to where a little bit of them was leaking out of her. 

He brought his hand down to scoop it up and used it to rub against her clit. He moved his head right against hers so she could watch both of their expressions. It wasn't long before she was trembling in his arms again.

He nuzzled his face against her hair. "My Queen, how beautiful you look stuffed with my cock and with such a sweet expression on your face. I don't think I'll ever tire of it."

She was too buzzed with pleasure to register what that meant.

Her head was telling her it was only going to be a long couple of hours, but she had given him what he wanted. He intended to keep her for far longer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed. Ty everyone for the kudos and comments.
> 
> Still deciding where to go from here. If ya'll have any suggestions or desires I'm all ears.


	4. Chapter 4

Byleth was just as the apothecary promised, almost desperate in her desires and wanting them to be taken care of. Every time Dimitri’s name left her lips it sent a thrill through him. This was nothing like when he took her during her sleep. 

Dimitri no longer had to use his imagination to fill in the blanks. The usual silence was now filled with her panting and she would moan when he found the right spots. Her facial expressions didn't change much but it wasn't long before even that shell broke under his touch. Even if it was subtle, she was so beautiful, and all his to witness.

Her open mouthed pants made him want to stick his fingers or his tongue down into it, but their position wouldn’t allow much for that. It did make him think about what she did earlier. 

The fact Byleth started to take his cock in her mouth on her own surprised him. Her tongue and mouth felt divine. The fact he didn’t have to prompt her to do it only made him more elated at her actions. 

Even now the weight of her in his arms was better with her hands clutching him for some semblance of balance. Her gaze stayed on the mirror, watching them both. Dimitri enjoyed seeing his cock slide in and out of her as well. He met her gaze in the mirror as he marked her shoulder with his teeth. Her intake of breath made him grin before he trailed his lips up towards her neck.

When his mouth reached her ear, he nibbled the outside shell. “I want to hear you say that you’re mine, Byleth.”

Byleth moved her mouth but only a stuttering of his name came out. 

He knew that she was more lucid than that. “Come now Byleth. You came around my cock when I said you were finally mine. I only wish to hear you say it back while I’m inside of you.”

Byleth was trembling again, but it was different than when she was about to climax. Her grip tightened on his arms. Why was she resisting?

Perhaps a gentler approach was needed before he demanded it from her. She hadn’t fought or screamed like he feared she would. Byleth was hesitant, but curious about him. If Dimitri could take advantage of those feelings then this might be able to go smoother than he thought. It would become her choice at how easily this scenario transpired. 

Dimitri would make his dreams into a reality. They belonged together, he only needed to show her that. “Please, beloved; I have been waiting so long to hear you say those words to me.”

Byleth swallowed hard as she closed her eyes. 

Dimitri’s patience was wearing thin, but he knew that delicate matters like this took time. She needed to be convinced that she belonged to him. Force might have the opposite effect than the one he wanted. Gaining Byleth’s fear was not his goal; he wanted her to depend on him. 

Dimitri needed her unquestionable loyalty. There were too many enemies that would want Byleth dead or to keep her to themselves instead. She had to belong to him and him alone. 

Dimitri experienced Byleth’s warmth firsthand, the paradise her body provided, and now those sweet sounds he could never get tired of hearing. He wouldn’t be able to let go of that now that he had a taste of heaven. 

Dimitri wouldn’t let Rhea have her way. Byleth’s heart would stay inside Byleth’s chest where it belonged. He would not allow Edelgard to steal Byleth back away from him. Byleth was his to protect and love now. 

He kissed Byleth’s neck as he rubbed his thumbs back and forth across her thighs. The moment her eyes opened again he smiled and nuzzled against her skin as he pleaded with his eyes. “You could be sent to the execution block for your crimes, but I want you to be with me instead, Byleth. Look at yourself and feel the pleasure I can give you. Is it such a horrible thought to be my wife?”

“It’s all... so fast.” Byleth's words slurred together. Her head swayed as the drug went into its next stage. It would take all resistance from her as it made every touch she received magnified.

For her perhaps, but he had waited so long to finally have her. “It must be a lot to take in, but you will get used to it in time. I do not wish to punish you; I want to give you mercy and forgiveness. Just a few simple words can bring me such happiness. Would you really keep them to yourself after all the harm you’ve caused with your actions?” 

Byleth’s face twisted into a grimace. “Not… not my fault…”

Dimitri chuckled darkly against her neck. “Oh, Professor, the moment you chose her house you hurt us all."

Dimitri stopped thrusting, letting her focus on his words. Byleth tried to squirm against him to get some sort of friction, but he held her tightly. Dimitri would not reward her until she said the words. They were simple enough for her to say, even through the haze taking over her mind. It would be her first step towards proving to him that she could atone for everything. "Then you went to her side even after she committed all of those atrocious crimes. She sided with your father’s killers, attacked a monastery full of students and innocents. Did the rest of your students mean so little that you felt you could just abandon us?"

Dimitri's anger built, but he took a deep breath as he hid his grimace in her hair as he calmed down. Now was not the time to dwell on past sins, her atonement barely started. The past could be forgiven if Byleth gave him her future.

Dimitri kissed and nuzzled her hair. "You gave me so much hope with all your kind gestures, and you took all of that away with a single choice. You could have been at my side all this time. If you had kneeled and begged for my forgiveness I would have taken you back." 

As if to prove his point that she was still lucid enough, Byleth whimpered Dimitri's name. Her hands started wandering down over herself. He put an end to that by pinning her against the counter, bringing her arms behind her back.

Byleth’s breath fogged up the mirror in front of her. He lifted her torso up enough so her breasts weren't trapped beneath her. His other arm snaked around her waist to keep her against him. 

He started to kiss her neck again, slowly teasingly, making sure to nuzzle against her skin between each kiss. "You know what I want, beloved."

Byleth was watching him through the mirror, her breathing becoming more labored as time ticked by. She licked her lips a few times before she finally gave him what he wanted. “I’m yours, Dimitri.” 

A grin crossed his face. Her words were breathless, but he could understand her well enough. “There now, was that so hard? You will find obedience will get you more rewards than your resistance."

Letting go of her arms, he pulled out long enough to change their positioning so she was facing him. Dimitri wanted to see her, to hold her. He bent down to kiss her before he braced her back with one of his arms and lifted her legs to wrap around his waist. 

Byleth reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck after the first thrust. Her touch was hesitant at first, but after a few thrusts her fingers tangled in his hair as she buried her head beneath his chin. The tickle of her breath against his skin made him burn as he enjoyed her warm heat.

Dimitri smoothed her hair away from sweat rolling off her skin. There was another batch of the aphrodisiac that would affect those that touched the one that drank it through contact with their sweat. He couldn't risk having any after effects today, but later he was looking forward to using that one on himself so she would come to him willingly.

Dimitri could tell when the drug took its full effect when she relaxed in his arms and the sound of her breathing changed. “Yes, that’s it. I’ll reward you well. You feel so good, Byleth.”

Her soft whimpers were turning into moans as he continued to thrust inside of her. Her head was tilted to the side so she could still glance at them in the mirror. 

He couldn’t help but smile when he caught her watching them again. "Do you like what you see? I know I do." 

Byleth seemed to shrink further into him at his words, ducking her head underneath his chin again.

"No need to be shy. You are so beautiful." Dimitri's tone was reverent as he kissed the top of her head.

Perhaps the fact that she was curious and stealing glances would work to his advantage. A mirror for the bedroom might be a benefit to show her just how much she enjoyed his touch. It would be for his own benefit too, he loved seeing his hands on her, his cock inside of her. Byleth was starting to tremble.

He took advantage of the thrust that made her bounce to coax her head back with a gentle tug of her hair. He could see her face when she came for him. "You've been so good for me haven’t you, love?"

Dimitri kissed her then, forcing his tongue between her lips, swallowing up the moan she gave him. Another muffled cry as he pounded harder was stolen by him as he moaned in returned with how tight her cunt was gripping his cock. He pulled his head back to watch her pant as her body trembled around him.

“Almost there, beloved... show me what I do to you... let me hear you.” He punctuated the phrases with another thrust. 

“Dimitri..:” Oh, he would never tire of that soft whimpering of his name. Her nails were digging into his shoulders, but it was a delicious sort of pain, one he never would have gotten while she was asleep. 

His pace was stuttering as he got closer to his own climax, but he wanted to make sure she got there first. Now that she was awake and aware he would need to make sure she knew the benefits of being with him. She needed to desire the feeling, desire him for his plans to work. 

Once she understood what it felt like then he could use it as a reward. Soon she would be begging for him and at his mercy. Until the time where she knew it was at his side she belonged.

All it took was a small change of the angle for her to cry out as he felt the wetness from her soak his cock and her walls pulse around him. One more thrust had him joining her for his climax in thick spurts.

While Byleth's body milked his cock, she shook and panted in his arms. The look of bewilderment in her eyes made him smile as he cradled her head and held her close. Her legs loosened around his waist a little as her body went limp in his arms. 

Dimitri nuzzled her face towards the mirror as he gave her a kiss to her temple. He met her gaze as she caught her breath. Her eyes were hooded, her lips swollen from his kisses. He rested his head against hers wondering what she was thinking about as his own breath settled.

He would fill her however many times as was needed until his seed took root inside of her. When he pulled out of her he made sure she had a good angle in the mirror to see how she leaked from the mixture of them. 

The sight was arousing for him as well. He nipped her shoulder and nibbled his way up her neck and jawline. "You are mine, beloved. I'll mark you both inside and out."

He bit and sucked along her neck and shoulders. "Let's return you to the bed shall we? I want to mark every part of you and see just what noises and expressions you’ll make for me."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope u enjoyed
> 
> This is all I have for the moment. If yall have desires/ would love to have for this I'm all ears ( keep in mind I may or may not use it, the cuffs to the bed and edging are planned so ty for that suggestion). Anxiety has gone down overall, but still not sure how dark I do want to tread.   
> Thank you for the support for what was here.... Forgive any errors I did not have this chapter beta'd


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> there are a few people I need to thank and you know who you are. Your support has been wonderful, thank you for the beta and for the ideas. Thank you to everyone who reads this.  
> I hope you don't mind me quoting you but "I mean, the joy of smutty fan fiction is that it's pretty much pure indulgence. Heck, that's fan fiction in general. Sometimes people forget that"  
> ^This has taken away so much anxiety in itself and I really do hope yall enjoy it too cause I get way too horny when writing all this xD so yeah indulgence is the name of the game.
> 
> I'll quit babbling- hope you enjoy
> 
> \---------------

When Dimitri laid Byleth onto the bed he wrapped himself around her and just enjoyed the feel of her in his arms. They were facing each other and all Byleth would need to do is reach her arms to embrace him. Right now her wrists had her arms drawn across her chest. 

Dimitri kissed her temple as he idly stroked her back and arms. He would need to leave in a few hours and shouldn’t tire himself out too badly. Peaceful sleep was always hard for him to accomplish. One thing he had found was that the physical exertion that came from sex would calm down both his body and mind enough that he could find sleep. Nightmares still plagued him, they would probably never leave him, but her presence did wonders for his mind when he was awoken by them.

He tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “Do you remember that night you came out to sit with me during the academy?” 

Byleth looked up at him and her brows scrunched together before she rested her head against his chest. Her fingers moved to brush against his chest. “Which one? I came to find you a few times.”

Dimitri’s shouting had woken up almost everyone in the academy on those nights. It was part of why he would avoid sleeping in the first place. The night he referred to was sometime after Jeralt’s death. Dimitri finally had a face to the enemies he sought that caused Duscur. The Flame Emperor and the mage that stood beside her were the ones he sought to kill, to avenge the dead that he had made an oath to. Dimitri, embarrassed and guilty that he had disturbed other people's rest, had left for the greenhouse. The lavender planted there reminded him of Byleth. He had found it soothing to retreat there where the weight of his burdens became too much to bear.

“The night I carried you back to your bed.”

Byleth nodded and hummed an affirmative against his skin. “You kissed me, the mattress dipped from your weight, but…. I remember being interrupted.”

There were so many places that he would have loved to run his hands over her that night. He had just wanted to know what her lips felt like. Dimitri had been unsure of when his hand had gone from skimming over the soft fabric of her robe, to tracing his fingers along her exposed skin. He had reveled in how soft she was under his fingers. 

Dimitri shouldn’t have kissed her to begin with, not with her sleeping and trusting him while she was so vulnerable. “Byleth, may I distract you from the pain? You called for your father when I was carrying you here. You’re still hurting and I wish… you’ve been there for me so many times. May I do the same?” 

Her eyes fluttered open, the green almost glowing in the moonlight. His hand rested on her hip, his thumb tracing over the exposed skin. He should have been embarrassed, should have left her room before he touched her more. There wasn’t any hatred in her gaze as he thought he might see for his breach of conduct.

“Distract me how?” Byleth’s voice was soft, unsure.

“Let me gift you with something other than pain.” Dimitri kissed her again, this time his hands moving up to cradle one of her breasts in his hands. 

She arched into his touch, opened her mouth wider as she gasped and it allowed him to slip his tongue inside. She was so warm, so inviting, and it surprised him when she pushed him away from her.

“Dimitri, we shouldn’t. I’m a teacher and Seteth will have my head for this. On top of that I’m just a mercenary. Why would a future king waste his time with someone like me?” 

Dimitri didn’t get a chance to tell her what she meant to him before Hubert warped in and tried to attack Dimitri with his fists. Hubert wouldn't have been able to use his spells without destroying the room, and the fact that he had found a way inside through the spell infused walls had caught Dimitri off guard.

Byleth was quicker to act than he was. One moment Dimitri was dodging a blow to his cheek, the next Byleth was off the bed and had Hubert knelt down in front of her with his arms pinned behind his back. Byleth’s strength never ceased to astound Dimitri, and he wondered what it would be like if she used it on him.

“Hubert, what have I told you about warping into my room?” Byleth’s tone was cool and collected. 

“How am I the one at fault here? He was taking advantage of you as you slept.” Hubert hissed.

Byleth rolled her eyes. “I was awake the moment he stepped through that door. I am able to take care of myself with uninvited guests as you are well aware.”

Dimitri closed his eyes as he tried not to concentrate on the rest of the memory. Byleth had thrown him out of her room and made him promise not to speak of it or she might lose her job. Dimitri was still pissed at the interruption, but complied with what she asked of him. Whatever the moment was between them shattered. He had gone to Dedue’s room next door and waited for Hubert to leave. Time ticked by as he waited for the door to open. If Hubert could warp in, could he warp out?

A noise against the wall from her adjoining room made him alert and he wanted to check up on her. Dedue had clasped his shoulder and shook his head when he tried to leave. Whatever was going on was not for Dimitri’s eyes. Without context it could easily be misinterpreted. Heart heavy, Dimitri stayed where he was and tried not to imagine the noises were Byleth and Hubert finishing what Dimitri started with her. 

When Byleth’s door finally opened, the voices filtered in from where Dimitri sat next to the sliver of the opening in Dedue’s door. “Please, professor, let me stay. I’m sure he hasn’t left the vicinity yet. That behavior will only grow worse.”

“I told you, I can take care of myself, Hubert. I let him… I still wonder why, but… you are right in that I shouldn’t encourage it. I can’t help the tangle that my thoughts become around him.”

Dimitri used a mirror to watch Hubert as he pleaded with Byleth. “You are valuable to us. Please, keep your mingling with the other houses to a minimum. You didn’t heed my warning when the semester first started so you are dealing with those consequences now. Stay away from the prince, or do you intend to betray the Empire that you’ve pledged allegiance to?”

The mirror cracked in Dimitri’s hand.

Byleth crossed her arms as she glared up at Hubert. Dimitri tried not to concentrate on the view Hubert would have as he looked down on her. “All of you are my students, Hubert. What I do behind closed doors is my business.”

Hubert stepped away from her, with something in his gaze Dimitri didn’t trust. “It is cold tonight, Professor. Get inside before you catch a chill.”

Byleth only hummed. “This robe you got me for my birthday keeps me warm enough. Thank you for the gift.”

The thought that the robe she was wearing, the one she looked so beautiful in, was a gift from another man sent the mirror shattering, the pieces embedding into Dimitri’s hand. He didn’t even feel the pain.

Hubert looked away from her. “If you are going to insist on wearing what Manuela gave you to bed, you need something to... no that is not my place to say. I am pleased to hear that you like it. Know you can call on me if Dimitri continues to bother you, Professor.” 

“I’m sure that you and I have different definitions of bother. I’d better not get any more late-night visits from you either, or I will get someone in here to repair the spell that allows you through.”

The next time the Black Eagles were out for a mission, Dimitri would pay to fix that problem himself. They were doing something inside a place called the Holy Tomb at the end of the month. Perhaps he could do it then. Byleth was also known for using her free days to take out her students to train in combat practice. Maybe doing it sooner would be better than later. 

Byleth’s touch to Dimitri’s face broke him away completely from the memory. It was a good thing too, if his mind wandered to the day that Byleth betrayed them and ran away with Edelgard he might not be able to be gentle with her right now. He had been furious, but also heartbroken that Byleth had abandoned their side. 

The night after he was told Byleth fled with Edelgard, Dimitri had slipped into Byleth’s room. He had taken what belongings of hers he could, but not before he had lain in her bed and cried and cursed the night away as he took in the last of her lingering scent. There was a part of him that wanted to shatter most of her things, his fury trying to get the better of him. There was a part of him still hopeful that she might still come back, and he didn't want to touch or taint anything more than he had.

It had hurt so much when Rhea tore apart Byleth's room because it brought home that she wasn't coming back. Dimitri had fallen to his knees at the sight of the claw marks littering the walls and furniture. All that remained of Byleth's presence was some clothing shredded on the floor. As he picked up the shreds, Dimitri was happy he had rescued what he could.

Fuck, get these thoughts out of his head. He didn’t want to dwell on them. Her tights were still locked up in his clothing chest. He couldn’t count the amount of nights he had used them when he masterbated, wishing that they were on her and she was actually against him. They had lost her scent long ago, holes and runs eating the delicate fabric away. The stains were cleaned, but the memories remained.

Dimitri ran his hands over her naked leg that was pressed up against him. One of these nights he would put her into a pair of tights and play out his fantasy. Feel the texture mixed with her warmth.

“I remember,” Byleth’s words were soft as she caressed his jaw. “I also asked you why a king would bother with a mercenary like me.”

Dimitri chuckled as he pressed a kiss to her palm. “You are so much more than just a mercenary, Byleth. You had me captivated when I first met you. There are few who can rival me for brute strength. You were also the only one who didn’t care about titles or crests. You were the one who didn’t care that I was a prince and that is part of what drove me towards you.”

He caressed her shoulders. Her arms were above her head as she reached for him. He couldn’t help but smirk as he had another idea. He could attach the chains to the cuffs and keep her from using her hands while he made her teeter on the edge of pleasure. It wouldn’t be until she asked him for it, begged for him to let her climax or to have his cock that he would let her have her release. 

He leaned in to nibble at her throat as his hand cupped her ass to pull her close. “I hope you will permit me to try something. You’ve been doing so wonderfully. I look forward to our future when you have accepted your atonement. Oh, the things I hope you’ll do in return, my love.”

The kiss Dimitri gave her was searing as his hands groped against her. He relished the feel of her hands in his hair. Her tongue sought entrance into his mouth and it made his heart soar. Whether it be of her own volition or the drug’s effects he found that he didn’t care one way or the other at the moment. Every sound she made only made him harder for her, and his senses were enthralled by the feel of her as she moved her leg to curve across his hip and press him closer. 

Saints above, it felt wonderful to have her responding back. 

It was like being caught up in a dream, one he had been running in his head for years. Nothing compared to the reality of it all. There was finally a context to her warmth, the softness of her skin, and even the feel of her muscles built up from her years of training and fighting. It was hard to breathe as they kissed and he finally had to break away from her as he panted and met her gaze. He was sure his own eyes were blown wide by the lust mirrored in hers. 

It took him a few tries to swallow before he finally felt like he could speak. “You are everything I could ever want, beloved.”

She closed her eyes for a moment before she nuzzled her cheek against his. “I don’t deserve to be the consort of a king.” He hated how broken and soft her voice sounded when she slurred out those words; the sad look on her face as her brows knit together and the corners of her mouth tilted downward.

If anything he was undeserving to have her. His debt had yet to be paid to the dead. “I don’t know who has put these thoughts in your head, but I would tear them apart for you if you asked. I have chosen you and I do not regret that choice. You are my queen, my beloved. I want no one else, need no one else.”

Byleth turned her head so she looked up at him with wide eyes. The flush across her face made him wonder if it was from the drug or if she was blushing, but it was her kiss that truly took him by surprise. She was pushing at him and Dimitri found himself on his back as she crawled on top of him. He was breathless at her actions, even more so when she locked her lips with his. The soft moans that exchanged between them only made him warmer as he slid his hands against her back. Byleth rocked her hips against him and he felt where she leaked out onto his stomach.

His fingers searched until he reached between them to find her clit. The soft whimper against his lips only encouraged him further as he found a rhythm with her. She broke from the kiss as she scooted away from his hand until his cock pressed against the curve of her ass. Long light scratches dug into his chest from her fingernails as she leaned against him and moved to arc his cock against her folds. It didn’t take her long before she was sheathing him inside of her on her own. 

Dimitri kept his grip on her ass tight as she rode him. There would probably be crescent shaped marks left behind, but he couldn't find it in himself to care as he watched Byleth find her pleasure using him. Her heavy pants only added to the heave of her chest and the way her breasts moved. He had imagined the sight many times, but he never realized what having her hands on his chest would make him feel. The bite of her nails accompanied by a loud moan as her pace increased made his blood run hot. 

“What do you want, Byleth? I can let you continue as we are, or would you like me to do the work?” He hoped that she would say she wanted him in return, he didn’t care what position she chose.

“Need more…”

And he would give her whatever she needed of him. It didn’t take much to flip them so she was on her back, her legs pulled back to give him a better angle to give her the faster pace she seemed to want. Every time the head of his cock brushed against her entrance he pushed himself back inside to the hilt. Saints, the moans she made for him and the cries of his name that left her lips had him pounding faster and faster as her hands clawed around his wrists for some stability. It left him panting more than the exertion of the act itself.

She was beautiful with her face so flushed, even with the drool dripping out of the corner of her mouth. She was taking him so well, every stroke into her warm wet heat made his eyes want to close from bliss, but he kept them open to keep his eyes on her. Her legs started shaking under his hands and then it seemed like her whole body trembled before she met his eyes with hers with a wordless pant on her lips. 

He was babbling her name and giving voice to the pleasure building up within himself as well. “You are all mine... I will be all that you will ever need. I want you to milk my cock of every last drop of my offering to you. I want you to fall apart because of me. Let me feel you pulse around me... let me hear what I do to you, my love.” 

Dimitri stayed sheathed within her, pumping deep and fast with shallow strokes. He let her legs fall to his sides as he bent forward to hold her as he rutted relentlessly into her. Their lips and tongues mingling in heated deep kisses as she moaned louder for him. Her nails dug into his shoulders as she clutched him. The feel of her breasts pressed between them only served to arouse him more.

He wanted to believe that it was more than just the drug that made her do this. He had to believe that if he wanted to keep a hold on the bliss this moment gave him. He pulled back his face far enough to be able to see her expression when her body finally fell apart underneath him. He moved his hands to her face to stroke her cheeks as her eyes rolled back. With a groan he joined her. His mouth hung open as his breathing hitched, intent more on her then the blinding pleasure that had him closing his eyes for just a moment. He could feel her walls tighten and pulse around him before he leaned down to lock their lips together in light kisses as his own body shook. 

He refused to leave her as he moved them both to their sides so he wasn’t putting his weight on her. It took her a few tries to speak. “Do you really want me at your side that badly?”

The absurdity of that question made his chest rumble with laughter. “Do you think I would do all of this if I didn’t, Byleth? I already made my devotion clear to you, there is no one else I want or need. I haven’t hurt you have I?” His voice was a purr against her throat as he kissed her neck.

“No, I’m sore, but it’s a different feeling than I’m used to. I don’t know how to explain it.” Her wording was mostly incoherent, she’d repeat a few words a few times before continuing and lick her lips in between the pauses. Her comfort was more important than keeping himself satisfied within her. When he pulled his cock out she gave him something that sounded like a mix of a whimper and a gasp. 

He kissed her forehead before he sat up to grab the goblet of water for her from the bedside. He had refilled it after she left the bed the first time, thinking she might need it. He cradled her head as he lifted her up against his lap. He brought the cup to her lips. “Drink, I don’t want you passing out on me.”

She didn’t seem to understand him at first, but the moment the water touched her lips he could hear the rapid gulps. He pulled it away long enough to get her to slow down. When he returned it she took it slower as he pet through her hair with his other hand. “Thank you,” her voice was soft as she leaned her head against his hand. Then she went to drink again, her hand grazing his against the cup as she moved to tip it back. 

How he wished that he didn’t need the drugs or to keep her here. It was a necessary evil in order to keep her safe and eventually she would come to love him back. There was only so long that she could deny what was true. Her body accepted him, and she wasn’t crying or trying to fight him like his nightmares had told him would happen. He would take his place as her protector, her husband, and do what he could to make sure that she wouldn’t want for anything when, not if, she accepted him. 

When the cup was empty he pulled it away from her and sat it back down on the bedside table. She was still resting against his lap, her eyes settled on where his cock lay heavy against his thigh, still wet from her. He pet her hair back. “What are you thinking about?”

He could feel her swallow against his leg. “Still wondering… am I dreaming, and if it is… is it a nightmare?”

Dimitri took a deep breath and resisted the urge to let his hand tighten in her hair. “I know for me my nightmare started five years ago, when you disappeared. Trust me when I say this, I don’t do what I have out of malice. You are mine. No other man will touch you again. The sooner you accept that fact, the easier this will be for the both of us.”

Byleth didn’t answer him.

“I am yours as well. No other woman has haunted my thoughts as you have. If I haven’t made my devotion apparent to you then I need to remedy that.”

Over the next hour he took his time using his mouth and hands to worship her body, telling her what he liked about the part he kissed and massaged. He wanted to let her down from the drugs softly as the extra heat faded away from her. She would still be sensitive to his touch and he hoped that she might ask him for more attention if she got too riled up. Even if she didn’t he could still worship her for both their sakes. He wanted her to know what he admired about her. 

There could be no doubt in her mind of how he felt, he would make certain of that, even if it meant being on his knees while he worshipped her cunt with his mouth and fingers while she shook above him. Once he had her unraveled he was free to ravage her as he pleased, after all.

Her sword arm was strong, and he always delighted in the way she fought. Her hands were small and seemed so delicate, but he knew how much power they held, the ability she had to reach out to anyone and offer her support. The way his hand dwarfed hers as he interlocked them made him admire her strength all the more. “Your hands might be soaked in blood like mine, but they are always kind enough to reach out to those you care for. I’ve enjoyed your hands and nails clutching at me today Byleth, and I hope they will continue to do so.”

He left soft kisses and caresses on her lips and face. There was a part of him that lamented her change in hair and eye color, but it didn’t change who she was. When he gave a kiss to her temple, he told her how much he loved her quick wit and her ability to think of different battle strategies. The way her lips slotted against his own and the noises she made for him turned him on so much. “You are so beautiful, Byleth. You’ve always been able to see what matters. I don’t think I could tire of just being able to kiss you.”

He spent so long just at her breasts palming, kneading, and mouthing at them as he told her how much he enjoyed being able to finally touch them to his heart’s content. He enjoyed how her nipples drew taunt under his touch and mouth. Promises of massages because of the weight of them straining her back came from his lips as he thought about how he looked forward to suckling on them when they were filled with milk. “These were always distracting to me. I wondered how it would feel to rest my head on them, but my thoughts turned more lewd as the years went on.”

That brought him to her stomach. The night that he kissed her it was there that his fingers finally touched her bare skin with his own. He kissed and told her his dreams that one day her belly would be swollen with their child. Then he moved to massage her feet and caressed her legs, telling her how she drove him mad during the academy in those boots and tights. “I cannot wait to feel the texture of these wrap around me when you have a pair of tights on. You don’t know how long I’ve dreamed and hoped for it.” 

He saved her core for last. By the time he reached it he was hard and throbbing again, with precum dripping from the tip of his cock. When he ran his fingers along her folds he was delighted in how wet she was. He knew part of it was because it was a mixture of the two of them. Byleth moaned out his name and his entire body shivered at the sound.

“And this,” He inserted a finger inside as he lazily rubbed her clit with his thumb. “I love how well it takes my cock. I love how warm and welcoming it is. I love cumming inside it and feeling it milk my cock for every last drop like the greedy thing it is.”

Byleth whined and arched at his touch. It only made him smile as he leaned down to lick, suck and, worship her with his mouth. “And I love it when I can make you cum.”

When he latched onto her he curled his fingers up as his tongue danced around her clit. 

One day he would hope that she would do something similar to this, worship him in their bed. He longed for the day that she would say she loved him back, but for now, every time her body shattered and shuddered for him was a silent love declaration for his actions. 

And her cry when she climaxed made him love her all the more.

He continued to lap at her folds, drinking her in. He removed his fingers so he could keep a steady pace with his tongue and curve his arms under her legs to be able to hold her. When she was close for the second time he decided to play a little longer with her as he pulled his face away. Byleth’s whimper almost made him feel guilty as he moved onto his knees to line his cock up with her wet folds. He stroked a line across the entrance as he leaned down to kiss her. 

He could feel her rub her clit against the base of his cock and he pinned her hips down with his hands. He kept his strokes slow and teasing. His precum was only adding to the moisture already leaking from her. 

Dimitri leaned in to whisper in Byleth’s ear. “If you want this to stop I’ll leave you here, chained up and panting until I return, but if you want me, if you want to climax again, you need only to ask for my cock to be inside of you.”

He pulled back to tease her nipples with his lips, tugging them between his teeth and suckling on them while she made up her mind. If she didn’t ask it was going to sting his ego, but she would need to learn to not resist his gifts. 

If she said she wanted him to leave then he would chain both her wrists and ankles to the bed as he stroked himself to her. Then he would paint her body white with his seed, or perhaps he would do what he did the first time he had her and put in just enough of his cock into her to climax inside of her. Then he’d leave her plugged with his cum as she waited for him to come back. 

That second idea made him rock against her, the thought was maddening. The drug would have worn off for the moment but he could always give her another dose and continue to tease her until she finally gave in. Byleth still hadn’t answered him, and he gave it a little longer as his own desire was making his breath ragged. “Last chance love. I know you can speak and understand me. You were doing so wonderfully.”

Byleth still didn’t answer him. She had even pulled herself away from him. His heart felt like maybe she had pierced it with her claws. Everything was going so well, her responses positive to him up till now. What changed? The drugs were still in her system, perhaps not making her brimming with need, but they should still be keeping her mind occupied and in a happy state. Even the bliss had drained from her face, leaving her stoic like before. 

Dimitri tried not to let the hurt show on his face. He had expected this, she was a prisoner of war and he, her captor. He should be grateful that things had gone as smoothly as they had. The song of her pleasure is something he would keep in his memory and look forward to. There would come a day that he wouldn’t need the drugs, until then he would need to be patient. 

Dimitri sighed against her chest before he left a kiss between the valley of her breasts. “Very well. Just know that your torment is your own. You could have stopped this. I could have left you sated and resting comfortably without the chains.”

He took her wrists and brought them up to the corresponding chain attached to the headboard. The original links were built to resist even the Blaiddyd strength, so he wouldn’t have to worry about her trying to break free. When he had first noticed them, his thoughts had been who would he trust that much to be able to allow himself to be chained down like that? 

It was explained to him that with his strength he could easily hurt his partner, and certain precautions were in place. Dimitri had not expected something like that to be the answer. They were meant for the king and one of Dimitri’s height and size. He had yet to try them out, but he hoped that perhaps one day Byleth would return the favor and chain him down one day to toy with him. It was his hope anyway.

The attaching links were to add a bit more length so she could be comfortable. Her cuffs weren’t the same ones that normally went with these chains, those were tucked away in the bedside table. Her wrists were smaller and Dedue noted that she needed to have cuffs weaved with silence to prevent her from casting spells. 

The fear returned to her gaze as she heard the click of the chains attach to the cuff. He knew that his feelings might not be returned instantly. Everything was already going better than he thought it would. Whatever was done to her to make Byleth follow Edelgard still had to be undone. The fear Byleth was showing now was only a misunderstanding of his intentions. She would learn in time, the last thing he wanted in this world was to see her harmed.

In the five years since she disappeared, Byleth had been asleep. Dimitri was glad it was him that she woke up to. Most wouldn’t think twice about ending her life. He would keep her safe from those that wished her harm. What he asked in return was simple. “Just relax, the chains are to stop you from taking action. You will only get what I give you until you learn to properly ask for more.”

He ran his hands along her sides as she tried to squirm away from his touch, tugging on the chains and cuffs. The cuffs would cut into Byleth’s wrists at that rate. She should also be more compliant, not frightened. He didn’t want her frightened. 

Dimitri knew that some men would use brute force to make a woman comply. He couldn’t stand to see that happen, much less participate in it himself. A simple slap from him would do more than sting, but he didn’t want to think about the damage he could do. His anger should never be turned on her. 

Dimitri hummed against her lips as he reached out to keep her hands from moving. “Please, don’t strain or you will hurt yourself. I told you what would happen.” 

Dimitri gave her another kiss before he leaned up and grabbed the toy from the bedside drawer and sat it on the top of the table. It was shaped similar to a wine glass and made of polished stone. Confusion lit in her gaze when she looked at the plug. Her gaze focused back on him when Dimitri grabbed her ass and settled his cock against her folds to stroke against. He used her body as she tilted her head back against the pillows, mouth open and her pants sending her breasts heaving. He was giving her enough to be aroused, but not enough for her to climax on. 

His strokes were getting faster as he reached out with one hand to fondle her breasts and stroked his cock with the other. Just as he was about to burst he slid in just enough to release himself in long spurts inside of her, moving only enough to sate himself. When he was done he pulled out and reached out to grab the plug. Sliding it inside was an easy task with all the moisture coating her. Her walls were trying to pull it in like they had with his cock.

He toyed with the plug a moment to make sure that it would stay put and make sure none of what he just gave her would leak back out. “I’ll leave you with a reminder of who you belong to now. You neither asked me to stop, nor did you ask me to continue. Which means you were at the mercy of my will. This is what I chose. When you do not answer, that is the power you give to me.”

He leaned up to cup her chin in his hand. “Do you understand me, Byleth?”

Byleth averted her eyes and nodded.

Dimitri huffed, she hadn’t learned her lesson it seemed. It was such a simple one to obey. “Byleth…”

She met his gaze at his warning growl. “I understand… Dimitri.”

“Good, as I told you before your obedience will earn you more rewards. I’d rather not punish you, but you will need to learn. I cannot let you outside this room until I know I can trust you to listen to me.”

That had her blinking rapidly at him. “You mean you’d actually... let me loose?”

Dimitri chuckled darkly. “Poor choice of words my love. As for your current state I will let you loose once I get back so I know you have had time to regret your choice. As far as what I said, you will need to earn those privileges.”

He gave her one more searing kiss before he got up off the bed. It would only be a matter of time before Dedue went knocking on his door to let him know he needed to leave. He heard the small rattle of the chains as if she was testing them. He was going to see how she fared before he decided whether he needed to chain up her lower half. He didn’t want to leave her here like this, but he had given her a few minutes to respond. He needed to follow through on his promises or they would get nowhere. 

He grabbed his usual set that went underneath his armor. He had other clothes, but he wouldn’t put it past a spy to try to assassinate him. There were soft places in between the armor, places for blades to slip through, but it was better than cloth at protecting him. He wasn’t about to restrict his own movements. There was also no telling how long Rhea would be expecting him to stay at the celebration. He reached out to pet her cheek with the back of his hand. He really didn’t want to leave her like this.

Byleth looked up and leaned into his touch. “Don’t know what to feel.”

Dimitri got on the bed to hold her and press his forehead against hers. He wasn’t sure what to say to convince her. His mind came up with scenarios just as easily as he threw them out. She only needed to adjust, and it was asking for a lot, but in the end he knew they could be happy together. Maybe even this punishment was too much, but one did not learn when there were no consequences to their actions.

Dimitri rested his head into the crook of her neck. “I love you, Byleth. In the future don’t torment us both like this.”

“Then don’t do it.”

A small huff of laughter escaped him. “If it were only that simple. I don’t see another path to take where I get to keep you and you are safe from those that wish you harm. I will do what I must so that our future together is secured.”

He went to dress as she stayed silent. He could feel his heart hardening at what felt like her rejection of him. Once he was dressed he went back over to her again. “I’m not sure when I will be back. I’d rather not leave you like this, Byleth.”

“What would you want in return?” Her voice was clearer, the drugs no longer affecting her speech. It was still low in tone, not her usual assuredness.

It didn’t take him long to form a reply as he bent over to put his face close to hers. “Just a kiss goodbye from you.”

Her brows knitted together as she turned her head towards him. “That’s all?”

Dimitri caressed her jaw. “Beloved, you’ll find I’m a man of simple pleasures. It is your touch I crave no matter how small or insignificant it seems.”

The indecision was apparent on her face as her eyes darted back to his face and then away again. Then she finally released a shaky breath before she tilted her head and leaned up as much as she could to meet him. He made it easier on her as he pressed down further, opening his mouth slightly to see if she might sneak her tongue inside. She was timid with her kiss, not like the fierce one she gave him while she was still under the drug’s effects. He still enjoyed it and made no move to frighten her away. The name of the game was her giving in after all. 

When she pulled back her lips hovered over his and he could feel her breath as it fanned over his face.

“I am a man of my word, Byleth.” He kissed her forehead before he grabbed for the links that would set her free. 

The cuffs stayed on and he could see her glaring at them. She tried to move and looked down as she squirmed. He wasn’t sure how she could have forgotten about the plug. Her hand moved towards it and he snatched it before she could make contact with it. “You may rest without the chains, but this stays in as punishment for not answering me earlier. It is not to be removed until I return.”

Byleth shivered underneath him. He hadn’t meant to be that snappy with her, but it was a habit from dealing with troublesome nobles who refused to listen to him. He let go of her hand to caress her face again. “You did so well for me today. I look forward to more of our time together. Can I get you anything else before I let you rest?”

She pulled the hand he grabbed back to her chest as soon as he let go of it. “Just some more water… please.”

It worked well with his plan so he would oblige her. There was a sleeping draft he could give her. He wouldn’t risk her trying to escape on her own while he was gone. He brought the pitcher over to the bedside as he kept his back to her, his cloak blocking her view if she decided to look. He took a sip of the water himself before he dumped the odorless powder into it and offered it to her. She took it and drank it down in a few gulps. 

He took the goblet from her before he kissed the top of her head. “Rest well, Beloved.”

The last thing he did before he left the room was cover her with blankets as her eyes drooped from the fight with sleep she was losing. She had to be exhausted even without the drug’s effects. He had let his lust get the better of him, later he would need to keep in mind what she could and couldn’t handle. 

He wished he could be back in the room with her, even if it was just to curl up around her sleeping form. The festival wasn’t able to keep his attention. After all, Rhea used it as another excuse to prattle on about the goddess’s benevolence and mercy. The dark look Rhea gave him as he stood next to her on the balcony to receive the goddess’s blessing and bring Faerghus back to its former glory made him wary.

When the blessing was given Dimitri moved to stand but her hand on his shoulder made him stop. 

“Give me one good reason I shouldn’t slit your throat in front of everyone who came to see their king. You broke your oath to me Dimitri and I want to know why.”

To the crowd below them, Rhea would only seem to be blessing him further, calling forth the goddess to keep his aim true for battle. 

“I’m not sure what you mean Rhea.”

Rhea knelt down to hiss into his ear. “Do not lie to me, my king. I can smell the scent of sex on you, and further still, you reak of  _ her _ .”

Dimitri bit back a curse and tried to keep from reacting at all. He hadn’t realized Rhea’s dragon form might give her other abilities other than her strength. Lying to her wasn’t a good option. He didn’t want to make an enemy of her or the Knights of Seiros. “Because I love her Rhea. I always have.”

Rhea let him go with a huff as she turned to the people below her. “Rejoice in the blessings the goddess gives us this day. For they are many and soon we shall smite the insolent wretch that dared turn their blade against the church.”

The roar of the crowd would not be able to drown out his voice from Rhea completely. “I will not let you hurt her or take her away from me Rhea. She is going to be my wife with or without your blessing.”

Rhea paused and gave Dimitri a side glance. “Do you have the sword she wielded?”

Dimitri nodded and Rhea’s feral grin returned. “Bring me the blade and you may keep your new pet.”

It couldn’t be that easy. With all of the ranting and raving about Byleth’s heart, Rhea’s obsession mirrored his own for Edelgard’s head. It would not be so easily appeased. “What game are you playing Rhea?”

Rhea came forward to caress his cheek. “No game, my king. What I want is my mother back and the bitch punished for betraying us. She must earn her right to live and it sounds like you have already thought of the perfect solution. I look forward to seeing the child she bears.”

Rhea released Dimitri’s chin as she sauntered past him. Then she grinned again. Yes, she looked forward to seeing what child they would produce. She needed a new vessel for Sothis’s soul after all.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Byleth is about to do some manipulating/ retaliation of her own, but she doesn’t realize all she’s doing is playing further into his hands.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So working on Lion’s Dance, and I keep hearing a “come here, beloved” whisper in the back of my head, and it’s like, “can’t you wait your turn? I’m busy with holiday fluff?” The short answer is no.
> 
> Also CW, I know pre-time skip does bug some people, the way that I’m planning on implementing a bit of the mind break on her end is her facing the rising feelings that she had for Dimitri back then vs. him now. It’s going to play a big part in this, and especially in the next chapter, when he uses her professor title when he realizes the influence it has. Not exactly sure if that needs the student/teacher relationship tag or not since everything happens post and it's all in her head...
> 
> Ty to my beta and my DM companions who help me untangle pieces when I'm stuck. You know who you are and you are appreciated.

# \--------------

  
  


Byleth was still asleep when Dimitri came back and took off his armor. He thought of just curling up in the bed with her, but Byleth would probably enjoy a bath after all the sweat the fever from the drug created. He also needed to get the sword to Rhea. 

Rhea, the thought of her still sent his anger rising. What was she up to? Why was the sword so important? It was a relic that belonged to the church, one of the more sacred treasures, but surely it could not appease the rage that fueled her tirades. It had surprised them all when it was entrusted to Byleth. Felix had pestered her for hours to get her to demonstrate the blade in action for them. Claude had taken an even greater interest in Byleth after that, trying to sneak more time in with her. 

Later, when Dimitri had seen more of the relics, he noticed the similarities between the textures of them. It was as if the relics were alive and had a thirst of their own. Claude had shared a theory with him once as to why Byleth could use the sword when no one else could. Manuela taught the Golden Deer, and during one of Claude's check-ups, Manuela had commented on her stethoscope not working on Byleth, but it worked just fine for Claude, which Manuela thought was strange.

Claude had noted that, of all the relics, the Sword of the Creator was the only one missing a crest stone. Rhea wanted Byleth’s heart… one that didn’t beat. Dimitri blinked a few times at the realization. He had felt Areadbhar pulse under his hand almost in time to his own heartbeat. He had never put the pieces together before. The reason for his fixation on Edelgard’s head was a just punishment for how his father died. He assumed that Rhea’s obsession for Byleth’s heart would be from Byleth’s betrayal, but if it was… there would be no way to test that theory. 

Dimitri had seen the golems that Rhea created with crest stones, inanimate objects, brought to life from their power. He had seen the monsters that the Agarthans created with crest stones. How far fetched would it be to bring someone back to life using one? Rhea had talked about the Holy Tomb and Edelgard’s raid party to steal the crest stones from their graves. All Rhea spoke about was how she wanted her mother back. Her family had been taken away again from her that day. There must have been a reason the crest stones were in tombs.

Dimitri placed the sword in Byleth’s hand and watched as it resonated with her. He had felt a similar feeling when Areadbhar was given to him. That was due to the lance’s crest stone recognizing his bloodline, but for Byleth… the only conclusion was that the stone resonated with the sword itself. That would explain how a crest that hadn’t been seen in centuries emerged again.

Dimitri didn’t know why Byleth might have it, it made him wonder if Byleth was even fully human, but that part did not matter to him. What did matter was that Rhea would not stop with the sword if his suspicions were correct. If Byleth successfully gave him an heir, Rhea may feel that Byleth’s duty was done and there was no need for Byleth anymore. Another thought had him gripping the sword hilt tightly. It could be that Rhea was being patient and would collect the crest stone from Byleth’s body upon her death. No one would defile Byleth in that way. He’d make sure of that. 

Rhea had also made a note to mention what child Byleth might produce. It could be curiosity, or it could be a different plan Rhea had in mind. Either way, he did not have a good feeling about it. He couldn’t outright kill Rhea, not with her forces in Fhirdiad and the backing the church had among his people. When the decision had been made all those years ago to take in the church, he had not thought of the implications, only the duty that he was honor-bound to fulfill. 

Dimitri took Byleth’s hand and kissed it while he rubbed her stomach with his thumb. He should have been more patient and held back his lust. All of his well-laid plans were in danger of being destroyed by his greed. Now he had to protect his family from a snake within his own home. 

“It’s your own fault for breaking your word with Rhea. Was this mercenary worth the trouble that it might cause the people? Rhea and the church are needed allies against the rats that woman keeps at her side,” Lambert spat.

Glenn and his father had left him alone while he had been with her, but now Dimitri could almost feel Glenn’s glare on his back. “I never even got to hold Ingrid. What makes you think you deserve to have the woman you want? After what you’ve done, what makes you think she even wants you?” 

Dimitri swallowed thickly as the truth of that statement washed over him. The bruises that marred Byleth’s skin were from him. When she woke up, she might dread what she would find. He didn’t want her to dread seeing him. 

“You should have killed her or at the very least turned her over to Rhea and formed a plan together,” Lambert mused.

Dimitri snorted at the ludicrousy of that thought. “Knowing what Rhea might be after, I doubt there would have been a way to keep her.”

“I never taught you to be selfish, boy,” Lambert growled.

Selfish, he may be, but he made his choice. He had no right to Byleth. She was the one thing outside his duty he desired, and he would not lose one more person he cared for. Happiness, even just contentment, was fleeting in his world. Having her at his side finally gave him hope that everything was worth it. Another stain on the ledger of his sins would not matter in the end. He would wipe everything clean with that woman’s blood and those that followed her. 

Dimitri reached to pick Byleth up off the bed. The sheets were damp underneath her. He cursed at his oversight. She could end up sick from the mixture of moisture and cold. He had left the blanket over her but that was no excuse. 

Dimitri ignored the condensation and whispers from the ghosts as he left her on the bed for a moment as he left to go speak with Dedue for possible solutions. If they had a topper that he could easily discard once they were finished for example that would leave the bed available for them to sleep in without discomfort. Dedue agreed and said to keep the bathroom door closed. Dedue would take care of the bedroom while Dimitri had her inside, and there would be no risk of Dedue seeing her unclothed.

Dimitri nodded, telling Dedue to give him a few moments before he began. Dimitri turned the warmer for the tub water before he went to go grab Byleth. Mages from below used fire magic to keep pipes from freezing and adding temperature changes throughout the castle. There should be enough time to get the water warm for her. Dimitri grabbed a nightgown and some slippers for Byleth to change into after the bath, laying them on the counter for her before taking Byleth off the bed and cradling her to his chest. 

He felt when she woke up by how she tensed in his arms. “I thought you might like the idea of a warm bath.” 

Byleth hummed and nodded before a large yawn escaped her. “Bathroom first…” She rubbed her legs together before she jerked. It took him a moment to realize he hadn’t taken the plug out from her yet. 

He didn’t want her tampering with it while she was out of his sight. He sat her on the counter and she gasped. Placing his hand beside her he could feel why. It was cold underneath his touch. She would be able to warm up soon enough. When he pulled at the plug her walls didn’t want to let go of it at first but it easily slipped free of her after a moment of toying with it. Her face was red again, but what caught his attention more was the amount of moisture that started to leak from her.

He leaked from her. 

Dimitri leaned down to give her a soft kiss before placing the plug at her side. He pulled her close before setting her down on the floor and turned away from her to check on the water. He would let her choose if she wanted any salts or oils. He never really bothered with the frivolous additions, but she might be able to appreciate them. When he turned back to her she was still where he left her. Byleth’s hand was on her inner thigh where she watched as the combined slick of them both dribbled down.

The sight almost made him want to put her back up on the counter and give her more, but he had taken enough already today. When she woke up from the comatose state he had hoped to be next to her, to convince her that she had a constant lack of memory, but he would help her through it as a good husband should. He had wanted their first time to be with the aphrodisiac used on himself that would spread to her and convince her that she wanted him on her own accord. Instead, his own lust had thrown all those plans out the window.

He knew that she might resent him at first, but it wouldn’t last forever once he showed her what he could give her, that being together was what was best for them both. He turned back to her and lifted her face up so she was looking at him. “Talk to me, please.” 

Byleth looked away as she slipped past him to the room to relieve herself. “I’m not sure what to say. You were the one good with words, not me.”

Dimitri sat down on the tub’s edge as he wondered what the best way to handle this was. She was closing herself off. The water was warm under his hand as he waited for her. She still didn’t speak when she came out of the room. Her gaze went to the tub, her movements were small and unsure. 

“She knows you bite,” Glenn snickered from the corner. 

Dimitri had to keep the irritation off his face as Byleth came over to him. He gestured to the baskets. “There are oils and salts if you wish to use them.”

\-------------

Byleth still felt like she was still within a dream. Typically, the tired feeling didn’t last this long after she woke up. She was always alert within a few moments, but all she wanted to do was yawn and curl back up into the bed. Her mind still felt hazy as she thought about what transpired the last time she was awake. 

Blue eyes smoldering for her in the mirror while her mouth hung open and his cock was buried deep inside of her. That was the image that wouldn’t leave her alone as she approached him. The things she said, had she meant them? At the time she just didn’t want the feeling to stop. It was overwhelming. Between the cloud of pleasure and the heat crawling through her veins, she couldn’t find in herself to care for much else other than the scent and feel of him. His voice coaxed her, praised her, but she couldn’t forget the reprimand or the order either. 

When he brought her back to the bed he was so tender and sweet with her. Did he mean all the things he said when his hands and lips worshipped her as if she was everything to him? The experience was not like the nightmares she had been told about. He did seem to care for her, which only sent another dagger to her heart.

The expressions he wore had varied so widely, from gentle and loving gazes she remembered to those new dark smiles that sent a shiver down her spine as his voice rumbled around her. Every time her eyes met his in the mirror she felt like it was looking at someone else completely. She barely recognized herself, much less who Dimitri had become. Her mind still saw the teenager she knew; saw that face when she thought of his name. 

It was like being held by a stranger until she heard his voice again. That pet name he kept using was beginning to echo in her mind. Foreign to her, just like the methods he used that she would never see her prince using on her. Her Dimitri wouldn't have done this, but how well had she known him? Most of her time was spent with her own class. She had even noted to Sothis about the lurking darkness in his eyes when they first met at Remire. It was darkness brought about by those who have seen death firsthand. He had been kind during her adjustment to the monastery, always offering a helping hand. 

Byleth shook her head again to try to clear away the groggy feeling. That sudden drowsiness, had he drugged her again, or was she just that tired? Dimitri hadn’t moved to touch her again. She wasn’t sure what he expected of her either. His actions made no sense to her. Of all the things he could have done to her or requested all he had wanted was a kiss. 

He offered salts and oils. She knew of them, but they were always too expensive a commodity to indulge in. Dimitri was still dressed in a long sleeve turtleneck and pants. What game is he playing now? Her gaze went to the door when she heard rustling outside. 

He followed her gaze. “The sheets are being changed. No one is to enter here in the meantime, Dedue will make sure of that.”

So, for the moment, they were stuck in here and Byleth imagined that Dedue would be guarding that door while whatever servants dealt with the changes did their job. “Are you planning on joining me?”

“I would like to,” Dimitri’s reply was hesitant, almost shy. Had something happened while she was asleep? He was tense, his hands clenched into fists on his lap. 

Byleth had taken several deep settling breaths while the door had been between them. She had the inclination to do it again, but turned her attention to the basket he indicated. There were several bottles that she popped open that had a scent inside. Most of them were floral, herb, or smelled like spices. The salts seemed like they were steeped in some remedy as well. She chose to stir in a few of the salts and chose the bottle that smelled like mint. It had a sharp smell and something she was familiar with. It also helped clear her head.

Dimitri watched her but still hadn’t said a word. She wasn’t sure what to say either. Had he been a stranger she would have already been looking for a knife to gut him with for what he had done to her. Nothing was stopping her from shattering a bottle to a sharpened point and stabbing him with it. She found though that those options twisted her stomach at the mere thought. So if hurting him wasn’t a valid option, what should she contemplate doing instead?

All she could do is let this play out and take what information she could from it. “You may.”

The change in him was almost immediate after a moment of brief surprise. The smile he gave her reminded her of ones from the academy. He discarded the shirt aside and Byleth could see where she had marked him as well with her nails and teeth. The sight made her feel smug, which made her pause. Why would she delight in her marks? She didn’t have much time to contemplate that as Dimitri stood up and picked her up into a bridal carry. 

He turned to face the tub and let her step inside. The water was warm as she tipped her toe into it and he kept a hold of her until she didn’t need to lean against him any longer. She settled deeper into the water as she heard him get out of his pants. She wasn’t sure what to expect to be frank, nor what she even hoped for. This was not a situation she thought anyone had any sort of training for. 

So she focused on how the water felt on her limbs instead. The tub was rather large, larger than one she had used before. The salts and oils had left the water slightly cloudy. When Dimitri settled in behind her she focused on the sound. He made no move to grab her, but he did need to rest his legs on either side of her for some room. The tub was large enough for the both of them, but Dimitri was tall.

Byleth glanced at him through the curtain of her hair. He was laid back against the rim, his eyes on her but his arms resting on the tub’s sides. There was a small pail on the side that she grabbed to scoop up the water and pour over herself. She decided it might be best to ignore him. The only change she felt was his leg moving and then resting against hers. A point of contact with her, but nothing more. 

After she put more soaps into her hair and rinsed them away she took note of him once more. His gaze was on something else in the room and his face twisted into a scowl. Something was wrong, and it had nothing to do with her. Byleth finished washing herself, noting that his attention turned back to her as she scrubbed herself. His eyes danced over her as he swallowed thickly. Cataloging the bruises in his mind most likely by where his eyes lingered. 

“Are you hurting?” That small question confirmed her suspicions. His tone was also different than the one he held before. Where was all that smug bravado? 

Byleth smoothed her hand over the leg he had pressed against hers as she thought about that question, not really sure why she felt she needed to soothe his worry. “Not any more than I would be after a long training session.”

He nodded and Byleth turned around in the tub to face him. Something seemed… off, about the way he was acting. She reached out her hand to his cheek. He responded well to her touch, so she might as well use it. “What’s wrong?”

Dimitri closed his eyes from the contact and she could feel the tension leave his body before he kissed her palm. “I am still waiting for your hatred.”

Byleth still wasn’t sure what to think. It still seemed like some strange reality to her. A knock sounded on the door interrupted any thoughts for an answer. The door was cracked open for a moment. “Everything has been prepared. Do you require anything else?”

“No, that bundle on the table is for Rhea. If she comes, tell her our pact is met, and if I catch her or any of those serving her near my room again I will protect what’s mine.” Byleth could hear the growl in Dimitri’s voice as his jaw tensed under her fingers.

“Noted, your majesty, enjoy your time with her.” Dedue shut the door back behind him.

Something must have happened with Rhea while she was asleep. Byleth didn’t doubt that it was her that Dimitri was saying he’d protect with that veiled threat, so did Rhea already know she was here? Byleth would need that protection. The last encounter she had with Rhea had ended up in a five year nap. Byleth could fight well, but she was no match for Rhea alone, especially without a weapon. Dimitri had made it clear that he had no intention of hurting her so right now he was her best bet for survival.

“Rhea’s not happy that I’m alive is she?”

Dimitri turned his gaze to her before he cupped her hand with his. “I won’t let her touch you.”

Byleth only smiled as she saw more of the Dimitri she knew in his gaze and voice. Resolute and unyielding had always been his more redeeming qualities, at least in better circumstances it was. He nuzzled his nose against her wrist before he kissed her palm again. 

When he released her hand she could see the hunger in his gaze again. She didn’t understand why her breath caught in her throat at just a simple look. Byleth shook it off quickly as heat started to rise in her face the longer she stared into those blue depths. 

Task, she needed something to do with her hands. She almost dove for the cloth as she broke eye contact, her movements not as panicked as her mind felt. What was it Petra always said around Bernie? Don’t be a rabbit among hounds or something? Fear feeds a predator and makes the prey do stupid things. She refused to be prey. Byleth tried to keep her face blank as she went for the soaps.

She went for the bottle that smelled like pine before turning back to Dimitri, her face hopefully not showing any of the thoughts her mind was running rampant with. She held them up in front of him. “May I?”

The surprised look was back on his face again. “Yes, I…” Dimitri just shut his mouth and nodded, leaning forward to give her access and to be able to pour water on him if need be. So he was expecting her to rebel against him it seemed. That might be the normal thing to do, but Byleth had never been like other people. It was also a bad idea tactically. 

She needed to gather information, both about her surroundings and about him. Five years was a long time for things to change. Would her Eagles even still be loyal to her after all this time? Would they even accept her if she returned to them? Were they even still alive? So many questions still ran through her head.

Byleth found that the task in itself was relaxing as she scrubbed him down. It helped her mind settle as she took steadying breaths of mint. The amount of scarring over his body showed just how battle-worn he was. She hadn’t expected him to relax so much from her touch either. She could easily knock him out with an elbow drop if she wanted to. Why was he so quick to accept the fact that she was angry with him and yet not brace himself for possible retaliation?

Combing her fingers through his hair had him making soft sounds as he snaked his arms around her waist. He stayed still other than that, letting her continue. If he wanted to he could lean forward and nuzzle into her breasts. It was such a change from his earlier mood. Using her nails, she gently scratched through his scalp. His reaction almost sounded like a moan and she found herself shaking her head at the fact that he was enjoying this so much. 

She had noticed that at the academy too as how he would linger towards any touch or praise she gave him. Head pats for a good job weren’t unknown to her, it was what her father did when she was younger after all. She had thought it was just something that people normally did. The blush on Dimitri’s face when she did it the first time and the way he looked up at her had made her think she broke social norms once again, but he assured her that he didn’t mind.

He reminded her so much of a puppy in that phase. If she tried to do it to him now she’d have to have him bend down at the very least. He was already taller than her in the academy but it was an easy stretch. Byleth continued her scratching and kneading down to his neck and shoulders. He kept his eyes closed because she hadn’t rinsed off the soap, but he leaned his head back all the same. His mouth parted as his breathing hitched. 

The fact that such small things could turn him into putty in her hands made her mind churn with doubt again. She had always heard of couples who would appreciate just being around the other. A simple touch was enough to make them feel loved and wanted. Byleth had thought them to be fanciful stories, but not something meant for someone like her; a demon only her father could love. Byleth swallowed away the lump in her throat as old memories threatened to take away the peace she somehow found. 

Byleth concentrated back on her task. She was gentle with the water, making multiple passes as she combed through his hair again to make sure all the soap was taken care of. When he finally opened his eyes that adoration was back in his gaze. One of his hands moved up to cup her face as he kissed her with more tenderness than she thought he was capable of. She found her own eyes closing as she responded in kind. It was... pleasant to kiss him like this.

Then she felt his erection against her leg and she broke away from him. He whimpered, confusion written all over his face as he reached out for her. Kneeled down in front of him like this, she didn’t have far she could go.

She would not excuse his previous behavior, but perhaps there was a way to work through her feelings. “You should have waited for me, Dimitri.”

She could feel the hand that he had on her waist shake. So many expressions warred in his gaze as he tried to form words, before he finally laid his head at her chest and released a deep breath. “I let my greed get the better of me. It’s not often that I get something that I alone want that I am not obligated to desire.”

What of her desires? “I think turnabout is fair play, don’t you? You talk of punishments, but isn’t a good king supposed to lead by example? Why don’t you show me what I’m supposed to do? You say that I need to beg you for what I want…” Byleth wrapped her hand around the shaft of his cock as she used her other hand to tilt his head to meet his gaze. “What do I need to do to be able to have my way with you?”

It was as if he had forgotten how to breathe at her touch. He swallowed a few times. “Aren’t you tired from earlier? I don’t want to overtax you.”

Byleth raised a brow, wondering if he was just avoiding the subject. The longer she gave him to plan a counterstrike the harder it would be for her to bring this up again. “I had time to rest, besides you owe this to me for what you’ve done. I am glad it wasn’t someone else…”

Byleth took a deep breath and closed her eyes as she realized that truth. It didn’t make it right, but he had given her pleasure beyond her wildest dreams. He wanted to make her his despite the controversy it would create. He had every right to kill her, to hand her over to Rhea and face the 'divine punishment' that waited for her. Byleth abandoned her place as a teacher to stand by the side of an emperor who declared war on the continent. No matter the reason, Byleth had betrayed all the ones she left behind.

When she opened her eyes he was studying her with an intensity that almost made her shiver. His gaze softened as he brought a hand to the side of her face, his thumb rubbing against her cheek. It was movements like this that made her pause in the anger that rose against him. The Dimitri she used to know would be sweet like this. 

There was a part that screamed at her he would respect her boundaries then, but she remembered his touch and kiss all those years ago. It was still hard to think in terms of years. What had even happened that she was gone that long? 

She remembered that night in vivid clarity. She had even wanted him to continue. It was like her skin was on fire from his touch and it made her wonder how chivalrous he would remain. When she felt his lips against hers and his hand against her hips she remembered the excitement that coursed through her. She wondered how far he would go. 

It was only guilt at the remembrance of Seteth’s words that such a scandal would ruin Dimitri that she pushed him away. No matter her personal desire, she wasn’t worth the trouble it would cause him.

There was no Sothis in her head to tease her then or now. That was the first time she felt something so powerful other than her sadness and anger after her father died. After Byleth lost Sothis, and almost her students, from her anger and quest for revenge she pushed her emotions back down. She needed to stay rational to protect those she was sworn to.

It was as Hubert said, sentimentality could be your undoing. What about desire? She had slept with others before, but there was no connection; no reason to continue chasing after the supposed pleasure that was to come with it. Hubert had warned her again that night with something similar to her father’s lecture. She took out her confusion and frustration on Hubert when he tried to talk her into reporting Dimitri to Seteth. 

Edelgard had asked her to go to Enbarr shortly after the incident and Byleth still hadn’t sorted out her feelings about Dimitri as she watched Edelgard take her crown. The journey had been a long one, taking almost the entire month. Hubert had kept his word and not mentioned what happened between them again, but it had filled the air with more tension than usual. It was a quiet trip. Idle chatter wasn’t something that any of them participated much in.

When she came back Dimitri seemed more agitated than usual when his gaze met Edelgard. There wasn’t much time to talk to him. The one time he asked to speak to her was clipped and distant in his demeanor. He suspected Edelgard of something, but he didn’t trust Byleth enough to voice it. 

That had cut her, but it was obvious that he was wound up about something. She offered him some tea to help calm his nerves, but even that he said he shouldn’t partake in. Something was wrong, but he wouldn’t let her in. She wouldn’t pry, but she did want to help somehow. So she had wrapped her arms around him in a hug, knowing she could take it back if it was the wrong move. He was frozen at first but he wrapped his arms around her and laid his head on her shoulder. 

She had combed her fingers through his hair then too. “Whatever is wrong it will be ok.” 

Being held by him was a foreign feeling, but it was over too soon. He had let go of her and practically pushed her in an attempt to get away from her. “I came to the monastery for one thing Professor, and I will not be distracted from it.”

His voice had been filled with so much conviction. Just as it had been on the day they met once more on the battlefield. She had taken away that fight with the pulse, but the anger in that cold gaze still burned in her memory. When Byleth fell she had thought she died, it was dark, no thoughts nor dreams, it was as if time had stopped completely around her. 

Then Dimitri woke her up to a feeling crashing through her that she never expected before. He proceeded to give that pleasure to her over and over again. He made her feel valued. She had always been a battle asset. The moment she took the Sword of the Creator in her hands both Edelgard and Claude saw her as a way to excel their own agendas. Only Dimitri remained unchanged. He was curious, as most of them were, but he didn’t treat her any differently than he had before. 

She needed to know, not to assume his reasons. “Why me, Dimitri? Why do you want me?”

He lifted up his head. “How could I not want someone as wonderful as you?”

That sent her blinking rapidly as she felt the heat rising on her face again. 

His hands trailed along her arm that she held him with. His cock twitched under her hand. “I thought I made everything clear to you. I will worship you as much as I need to until you know your worth to me.”

His voice was turning husky as he brought his lips to her neck. “I also told you that I belong to you as well. Just tell me what you want and I will do my best to make it so.”

Byleth swallowed as he caressed and kissed her. His legs were drawn up behind her, pinning her in place. What did she want? He was warm and throbbing in her hand, the skin almost velvety in its texture. A small stroke of her hand had him sinking his teeth and moaning gently into her shoulder. 

She remembered that simple, yet breathless plea he gave her earlier before she took him in her mouth as she held him tighter and pumped a little faster. His lips continued to run over her in between his moans. His hand stroked up and down her back, skimming across her skin. His breathing came in deep pants as he nuzzled against her breasts. He pulled back long enough so she could see his face and the deep blush that went all the way to the tips of his ears.

She wasn’t even sure if she should be getting this aroused at the sight of him. She couldn’t deny that the way he was looking at her made her burn. At this point, the past could not be undone. What mattered was how they moved forward. 

He brought one of his hands up to cup her face as he swallowed to find his voice. “Am I allowed to find release by your hand, beloved?”

She could let anger fuel her, she could pretend she didn't like his touch, or she could use his desire to her advantage until she had his trust. The more he cared for her the more likely he would be to let her have a voice in what happened, more liberties she could earn.

She had said to lead by example. There was a spiteful part of her that wanted to tell him no, but how many times today had he brought her to release before he had taken care of himself? She wanted to see him wrecked by her; to take back a piece of what he took from her. 

Spite won out in the end. She would let him eventually, but not before she had her fill. He said that he belonged to her as well, and she found that she liked how powerful just the thought of denying him was. “Not yet, but I will let you before we leave this tub.”

If Rhea was coming then there was a chance that she was here to finish what she started. If that scenario happened she wanted to make sure that Rhea would be satisfied with the arrangement or at the very least, know that Dimitri would not be willing to part with her. This ploy had a chance to backfire on her, but if it worked she could get some frustrations out. Based on the flushed look Dimitri was giving her now it would be easy enough to pull off. She needed Dimitri invested in continuing to protect her. 

“Then may I worship you?”

So that’s what he was considering this as? “It’s my turn, don’t you think?”

Byleth felt a strong twitch go through his cock at her words. He really was enjoying this far too much. She might have been a little too forceful with her push, but she found she didn’t care. He was the one that was putting her mind in such disarray and she would take her frustration out on him. The water sloshed around them, lapping towards the edges. 

The smirk on his lips only managed to irritate her more. “Are you alright? If you’re tired I can take over for you. You’d like that wouldn’t you?”

She moved her attention away from his face as she explored the rest of him with her eyes and fingertips. When her fingers brushed against his nipple he shivered. She went in to lick and nibble at it while his breathing increased above her. She saw his hands move beside her. 

She had said to lead by example. “Did I give you permission to touch me?” 

His hands still found their way to her. “And why do I need it?”

A growl rose in her throat as she pinned his wrists against the edge of the tub. It had risen her higher on him and she could feel his erection pressed between them. She tried to ignore it. “Wasn’t it you that said obedience gains rewards?”

“It seems that you don’t understand the rules. If I reached down to relieve myself then you would have every right to reprimand me because I’m taking more than I am allowed. You told me to wait and inferred that it would be you that determines when I can. You asked to be able to have your way with me, which I am giving. Remember what I told you, you need to make your requests clear.” The smug bastard had a point, but that didn’t mean she had to like it. 

If that was how he wanted to play this game then so be it. She took his cock again in her hand before she sheathed him inside of her. Then she put her hand around his neck. “Don’t you dare cum before I tell you to. I don’t want your hands on me, and I will be taking my pleasure without your help.”

She hated the way his eyes lit up as he withdrew his hands and let them dangle over the edge. He moved enough to adjust himself so she was straddled comfortably against him. Why had she thought this was a good move again? When she stayed frozen on top of him he tilted his head to the side. “I’m all yours, do whatever pleases you. I’m just going to be enjoying the show.”

She found her hand tightening before she let his throat go. Just ignore his barbs. This would be a good test for her too. It always took her so long to cum on her own. One of the female mercenaries had given her a phallus when Byleth had told her about being called a cold fish. The hope had been that Byleth would use it instead of relying on a man who didn’t care about her. It had felt good, but not good enough to continue using. There were nights she missed it during the academy, but she was too afraid to get another one because of how it would look. It was bad enough that Sothis teased her for having those thoughts, but what had frightened Byleth more was that her thoughts kept going towards a certain prince. 

Dimitri was definitely longer and thicker than that toy. True to his word, Dimitri didn’t do anything but watch as she found a rhythm for her hips to roll against him. When she had used the phallus she was usually on her back so this was already new for her. The water slapped against the edges as she moved and when she looked at Dimitri’s hands they were clenching and unclenching in the air. 

His mouth hung open as his breathing came out in pants, his body shaking as she continued on. She explored him with her hands, learning the grooves and valleys of him with her nails. He was handsome and well built. His smaller waist allowed her to wrap her legs around him comfortably. The broader shoulders suited him well, and she knew that it allowed him to envelop her when he had his arms around her. He hadn’t taken his eyes off of her since she started. 

“You are so beautiful.” A shiver ran through her at his breathless words, one that had her clenching around him as she ground her clit against him and came around his cock. It wasn’t as strong as the ones he gave her, but it was pleasurable all the same. Was it because he complimented her or his voice in itself? Either way that had set her off and she had her answer. She was feeling that buildup faster than she had despite the turmoil in her head. She looked up to see that Dimitri was biting his lip and his hands were clenched tightly into fists.

She had expected to see that smug smile again, but he seemed distracted by keeping his own orgasm at bay. “I had said without your help,” she muttered.

“Beloved… please, you didn’t say I needed to keep silent. The fact that I have that effect...” the longing in his voice made her pause as his panting broke his sentence. 

She would certainly keep these loopholes in mind later. “You’re right. You’ve been good for me, haven’t you?” She debated on the wording she wanted to use. She wanted to see what he’d do now that she had him on the brink. “Take what you need from me and find your release.”

What she expected was for him to crush her to him and start being forceful with her, so the gentle touch to her cheek surprised her. “All I need is you. Touch me, please, kiss me if I can be so bold as to ask.”

Byleth blinked a few times as her brows furrowed. It was such a simple request, but the way he said it softened her towards him. His words about simple pleasures ran through her mind. He wouldn’t have been able to have her kiss or touch him back while she was asleep, so perhaps that’s why he fixated on it. To have someone want her so badly, to almost need her wasn’t something she was used to. 

And she could see the longing in his gaze. It was almost as if time had stood still, but the cuffs were still on her wrists. She knew she couldn’t pulse. A small stroke of his thumb against her cheek broke her out of her reverie. It had been pleasant to kiss him before. Her movements were hesitant, but he didn’t make another move. When her lips met his, she closed her eyes. She wasn’t sure where to keep her hands at first, but she soon found them creeping up to coil within his hair. Dimitri moaned underneath her, deepening the kiss and running his fingers through her hair as his other hand wrapped around her waist. 

Then he started to roll his hips, and she gasped at the feel. She felt his tongue in her mouth only a moment later, trying to coax hers to move with it. It was strange, but not unpleasant. She flicked her tongue experimentally against his, and he only kissed her deeper as his thrusts got faster. 

Then he suddenly broke away, his pants fanning her face as he stared into her eyes. “Give me the order. I want to hear you say it.”

His thrusts were sharp, hitting that spot inside her that sent her panting too. She was getting closer to another climax, her nails digging into his shoulders. That dark smile of his was back again. Then she felt his fingers pressing between them to find her clit. It was all too much. 

“Dimitri….” then his fingers found their mark, and she lost the words as she climaxed around him.

“Yes,” he breathed. His lips found her neck again, making a small nip into the skin that made her shiver.

She could give him what he wanted, but she was still feeling spiteful. “Make me... give it to me again.”

His fingers traced around the edge of her entrance to feel where he was inside of her. “And what do I get in return? You already said that you’d give me my release before we left this tub. Are you backing out on what you promised me?”

She shivered at the feel of his fingers and closed her eyes. Where had all her plans disappeared to? She needed his trust for her plan to work. She couldn’t help but squirm as his thumb brushed over her clit again. When he purred her name she couldn’t help but think of that night again. Why hadn’t she turned back time and found a way for them to have that time together untainted? “No, you can do anything you want, your highness.” 

She didn’t see his eyes darken as she used the old title. He was still for a moment as she felt his hands tighten on her. “That is your majesty. I am your king Byleth, do not forget that.” 

She opened her eyes at the warning growl and was reminded again that this wasn’t the prince she knew. It was jarring how she kept going back into the past, only to return and be greeted by this reality.

“I warned you about your wording, didn't I? Anything I want hmm, and what if I want to fill you to the brim?” 

He started thrusting again, hard enough for the water to spill over the sides from his movements. All she could do is hold onto his shoulders for balance as his arms coiled around her. His teeth sunk into her shoulder as she felt his movements stutter just as she was starting to shake. Byleth came first as she slumped against his chest. Then she felt his liquid warmth spill inside of her and her mouth went dry at the realization of what she permitted him to do. The spite drained out of her as she wondered how she played right into his hands. 

He would surely leave a mark from his bite with as deep as he bit. His thrusts were slow as he went as deep as he could go. The third orgasm left her spent and dizzy. Dimitri leaned against the rim and let her settle against him as he stroked her back. Byleth caught a sound she wasn’t familiar with and realized that it would be his heartbeat. It was fast at first, but it was slowing down. It gave her something to concentrate on as she tried to collect herself. 

The water was getting cold and there was her plan to consider. Rhea could have already been here and gone by now. Byleth shivered at the thought of seeing those green dragonic eyes again. 

“I have kept us in here too long haven’t I? Come, let us get you where it’s warmer.” Byleth clenched her fists as she remembered him saying something similar. It was during one of the nights that she had come to check to make sure that he and Edelgard were sleeping without nightmares. His voice sounded similar, the cadence of it remained, but her memory told her that something was different. 

Dimitri took them both out of the tub. She barely registered him handing her a towel as her memory tormented her. She missed her prince, this man that stole his voice she could not forgive. She jumped when she felt his hand on her shoulder. 

"I don't want you catching a cold. Dry off. I have clothing over there for you." It wasn't an order, his voice was soft and it made her clench her hands into the fabric. 

Byleth shrugged off his touch as she went to snatch the nightgown from the counter. "Since when did you care about being called by your title? I remember a time when you hated it." 

It was just another change from the Dimitri she knew. She needed to let whatever this rising feeling in her chest was go. With the gown in hand she ignored the slippers as she walked out into the bedroom. She didn’t care if she was still dripping water onto the floor. 

A glance showed a wrapped object still sitting on the table. A familiar power called out to her and she realized what he was giving to Rhea. She couldn’t help but to be drawn to the sword. She didn’t get far before he pulled the towel over her and back towards him. “It was the sword for your life. Choose your next move wisely.”

He was a solid wall behind her in contrast to the soft texture of the towel. So Rhea had bargained with him and that was her price. “Do you trust her word in that she’ll let me live?”

“I’m not sure yet.” He started to dry her off as she stood there to listen. “I expect she’s up to something, but I’ll need more time to determine what that may be. Let her have it if it placates her rage. You won’t be doing any fighting so that is no longer of any use to you.” 

Claude or Edelgard would have had her take the sword in hand and decimate their enemies. “Do you think I’m not capable?”

His laughter echoed in her ear as he bent down to press his lips to her hair. “I am well aware of the power you possess, but you are more than a tool to me.”

That made her lips curl into a sneer before she turned around to face him. “And yet you’d have me as your broodmare.” 

He pressed her closer as he hugged her. “No, you are my wife. You will be my Queen in time. I do hope for a child, not for an heir, but because it is something I’ve created with you. I know this situation is not ideal, but you shall see in time that you belong here with me.” 

Damn him… her hands were shaking. He had held her like this once before. She could imagine him saying something like this then too. “You were the one who pushed me away that day, Dimitri.”

She felt his fingers card through her hair. “Something I still regret. If I hadn’t let you go would you have stayed with me instead of running off with her?”

Byleth swallowed, wondering if it would have changed anything. “I guess we’ll never know.”

His grip tightened on her. “I won’t make the same mistake again. You will not be leaving this time, and I won’t allow anyone to take you away from me. You belong at my side.”

A place to belong sounded nice. No fighting, a place to rest her head every night, how often did she dream of such a life? “And why should I want to stay?”

“I will take care of all your desires, beloved. Ask for something and I can try to make it yours.” They were nothing but honeyed words.

The plans she had made crumbled as something inside her broke. “Then give him back to me. Give me back the Dimitri that I knew. He wouldn’t have done this. He…”

She heard the rumble in his chest before she felt him tangle his hand in her hair. “That fool is dead because he is the one that let you go. None of him remains. His carelessness will never hurt you again.”

Byleth tilted her head back so she could glare at Dimitri. “Don’t blame him for something that wasn’t yours to control.”

“The beast has always had control over us. The difference between that coward and myself is that I’ve embraced the beast instead of hiding from it. It wanted you then too. You fed it your attention then and now you’ve fed it your affection. It craves your touch even now. You are better off without him. I will take care of you better than he ever could.”

“Stop talking that way!” Her fists pounded against his chest as she tried to shove him away but he held her tight.

His face twisted into a scowl. “You said anything I wanted. I want you to kneel before your king.”

Rage ran hot through her. “I have never bowed to anyone before and I’m not about to start now.” 

There was something in her gaze that made him both aroused and irritated. Everything had been going so well. If he wasn’t careful she would attack him. He needed to get this back under control.

Byleth wanted to curse. If Rhea walked in on them now she would only see that they were at odds. Why was she losing her temper like this? Normally she could keep her emotions in check.

She was surprised to feel Dimitri move so he kneeled before her. He leaned his head against her thigh. “I would get on my knees to worship you with my tongue just to feel your hands in my hair. Would you not do the same for me? You had taken me so well earlier today, or is it you’d rather be under someone else’s leash? You say you don’t bow to anyone, does that mean you wouldn’t be chained up as that woman’s attack dog or serving in Claude’s schemes? Both of them would have you do all the work for them. They would put you in danger just to serve themselves.”

Byleth couldn’t help but swallow as his breath tickled against her. He stroked against her folds with his fingers as he kissed her clit. “I want to protect you and give you everything you deserve. I don’t ask for much in return.” 

As he continued his attentions on her she found that the adoration in those blue depths made her pulse race. He was taking his time and she felt the warmth coiling up in her stomach. As good as it felt, she couldn’t let it continue. Rhea wouldn’t understand Dimitri being on his knees for her. She barely understood it herself. 

So she buried her hands in his hair and had to stop herself from shivering as the moan he gave reverberated through her. “Take me to the bed. I’ll kneel for you there.” 

He grinned before he gave her clit one final kiss and rose up. When he kissed her she was able to taste herself on his tongue. The next moment she was swept off of her feet and in his arms. He carried her so easily, but it was the gentleness that he put her down with that surprised her. Byleth turned to face the door, putting him at her back. She felt the bed dip at his weight, bringing her closer to him. 

He didn’t enter her right away. Dimitri was murmuring praises for her again, kissing the skin on her back and running his hands over her. Without being able to see him she could almost envision her prince as the one behind her. She didn’t know she’d be able to get wetter from just that thought, but as his voice wrapped around her, she felt lost in the moment. 

She was still wet from his tongue. When he ran his cock along the folds, she curled her hands into the sheets. Sensitivity had her shivering. He was slow when he sheathed himself inside of her. Whispers of how good she was, how she felt around him, and of how she took him so well. His fingers continued to caress all over until he took her hips into his hands. Then, when he asked her if she were comfortable, all she could do was breathe out an affirmation. 

Dimitri practically purred her name in her ear before the sound of his hips smacking against her ass filled the room. The coil for an orgasm felt like it took longer in this position, but he could get so deep. Byleth lost track of the time as her mind gave her different images to go with the sensations. She didn’t register the fact that there were voices outside until she heard the creak of the door opening. 

“It sounds like his majesty is preoccupied. Come at a later time.” Dedue’s voice filtered inside the room.

“I am not about to let him run away with what is mine.” Rhea snarled. 

Byleth wanted to curse the timing. It was feeling good, and she was getting close. All it would probably take is another thrust or two and his sack to hit against her clit just right. It surprised her how disappointed she was when he stopped thrusting. Dimitri used his body to shield her, pressing Byleth lower onto the bed as he crouched himself over her. His cock was still buried inside of her, and all she could do was pant as she faced the door.

Rhea must have pushed Dedue because he came tumbling into the room as the door flew open. She stormed in and stopped short at seeing the two of them. The growl Dimitri released barely sounded human. “Get out Rhea. You were not invited to enter.”

Rhea only stared at the two of them, her eyes wide in surprise. Dedue pushed himself off of the floor before he brushed past her and grabbed the sword off of the table. Averting his eyes as best he could, Dedue found the rope to pull one set of the curtains on the bed frame shut. “With this, your pact is met. The king is busy, and you are intruding. I will ask you to leave or face the consequences.”

Rhea shook her head as Dedue shoved the sword towards her. “You will not…”

Dimitri thrust and surprised Byleth, wrenching out a moan from her lips. “Yes love, just like that. I’d rather hear you instead of her any day.”

Byleth found balance against his arms as he went faster, and her voice got louder. They could still see the outline of Rhea and Dedue through the more sheer fabric, but not much else. Byleth watched as Rhea left, and her hand found and intertwined with Dimitri’s. She felt him squeeze her hand and kiss into her neck as he whispered more praise in her ear. Small gestures like that allowed her to focus on that her prince was still there. She was grateful for it. 

Dedue apologized for the intrusion before he pulled another rope and Byleth’s world went completely dark as the thicker curtains closed.

When the door clicked shut, she could feel Dimitri getting back to his previous pace. “I will never let her hurt you again. You are mine to protect.”

In that moment, with nothing to see, she could feel herself give over to the pleasure, not just to the climax, but to the fact that she was safe in the arms of her prince. 

\-----------------------

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, he’s preoccupied, let's see if I can escape long enough to finish the lion’s dance chapter I wanted out a while ago. I should have shield and lion's dance updated shortly, we are all in need of fluff I think. Ty for taking the time to read and hope you enjoyed it. Not the fic I wanted to update first for the year, but when he demands my attention I will answer. 
> 
> Also something else- it’s known as a primal kink (don’t know if it has another term), it’s rough, raw, marking and claiming the other with teeth and nails, staying connected to each other as long as you can, and surrendering yourself to your partner and to your instincts. I see Dimitri more as what’s known as a “service dom” and I will be implementing more of both concepts as we move forward.
> 
> Twitter is Lunafox90 - Kudos and comments are always appreciated. I had this ready a few days, but I wanted to wait until I was closer to finishing my fluff chapters. Stay safe everyone.


	7. Darkness Surrounds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> in the dark surrounding them, Dimitri learns a few things about Byleth that he didn't expect

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> cw: gaslighting- she's also under the impression that she's dreaming so whatever that falls under  
> various stages and mentions of grief, including denial- and ooof the heartbreak I apologize in advance
> 
> also the cab has really become my playlist for this fic. between lock me up- animal- temporary bliss- moon there's plenty of nummy lyrics to feed this fic

Rhea stormed down the halls of the castle still coiled in rage. She thought that Dimitri was taking so long because he was trying to make off with Byleth and the sword. She wasn't about to allow that to happen.

Once she was outside of Dimitri’s room the scent of sex permeated her senses. She couldn’t tell if it was new or old, but it made her curl her lips in distaste. For him to have the audacity to keep her waiting because he decided to play with his new pet some more sent her fury over the edge. Dimitri’s loyal lapdog was outside the door as he always was. 

Dedue nodded towards her in acknowledgment. “Lady Rhea, His Majesty mentioned you might arrive. He said there was something for you, let me retrieve it and you can be on your way. His Majesty has made it clear that he doesn’t want you or yours near this room.”

Rhea scoffed. Of course, the king would want to protect his new pet. With as often and as vehemently Dimitri had declined suitors she had wondered if he could even get it up for a woman. She had even offered herself to him to appease her boredom, but Dimitri had even declined her. That thought made her dig her nails into her skin. Instead, he had taken the fallen one under his care the moment she was back in their lives. Byleth had betrayed them, she had stolen her mother away, and now Byleth was distracting the king away from the oaths he made both to her and himself. 

When Dedue opened the door to slip inside he stopped abruptly. His words about the king being busy wouldn’t stop her. Dimitri knew better than to keep her waiting. For all she knew, it was a ploy to cover their tracks while they escaped. It didn’t take much of her strength to shove Dedue back against the door and open it enough for her to storm in. 

The scent hit her first before the sight and sounds registered in her mind. It made her stop as she found it odd that there was no fear mixed into the scent. Desire, thick in the air, coiled around her as she watched Dimitri thrust a few more times into Byleth before he realized what was going on. Rhea rarely saw him without his armor. She hadn’t realized how much Dimitri had grown. 

Byleth’s scent was familiar, but it was missing the part of her mother’s scent Rhea recognized after Byleth’s enlightenment. That part shocked her more than the scene before her. Dimitri’s large hands were on her breasts and the look on Byleth’s face wasn’t one of fear or pain. Byleth’s scent spiked with apprehension only when she caught sight of Rhea. Dimitri stopped moving when Byleth tensed underneath him. He kept them connected but his gaze went to Rhea as his lips twisted into a snarl. The glare he gave Rhea would have frozen a human in their tracks. 

Another scent invaded her senses as Dimitri crouched over Byleth. It was something primal she hadn’t scented in a long time. She had to be mistaken, her memory muddling with her thoughts. 

Grim was fierce and strong, with a temperament to match their name. Rhea would sometimes feel their presence when Dimitri used Areadbhar, but that shouldn’t have… Dimitri’s scent and aura distracted her thoughts again as it sent a small shiver down her spine. Dimitri’s protective nature came off of him in waves, as well as his fury at her intrusion. Even the dragon in her trembled at the clear warning to stay away. She composed herself quickly, but she wasn’t going to be able to forget the feeling anytime soon. 

Dedue shoved something into her hands and helped her out of her stupor. The curtain only took care of the sight but not the scents. The fact that they would dare threaten her and think they could force her to leave was lunacy. She was about to tell them how well trying to kick her out by force was going to go, but then Dimitri had done something behind the curtain to make Byleth moan. 

It had angered her even further that Dimitri would ignore her. That protective scent still coiled around the room. Affection and desire bled from Byleth. It was no wonder Dimitri had taken her back so willingly. Rhea would have thought she'd find Byleth wanting her help, to be freed from him and Rhea would have a plan available for the lost soul, but what she found did not meet her expectations.

That plan wouldn't work. Byleth’s scent was only getting calmer as her moans got louder, desire twisting at the edges of the scent. Rhea inhaled deep through her nose. She tried not to let her lip quiver in front of the watchful retainer as she realized what she feared. Her mother’s scent was gone. It wasn’t some illusion. Sothis’ magic had turned Byleth’s scent like Sothis’s after the battle in the Sealed Forest. Now there was no trace of Sothis’s magic.

The Holy Tomb should have woken up her mother and brought Sothis back. So many things had gone wrong. It was all Byleth’s fault, that wretch ruined everything. Rhea left the room with the bundle in hand. She could feel the form beneath and knew that it was what she sought. She would wait until she got to her room to make sure it was the real sword. With one last glare at the forms distorted by the curtains, she left Dimitri’s room with Byleth’s voice following behind her like a mockery.

When Rhea reached her room she unwrapped the sword tenderly as a smile curved her features. She ran her hand over the sword. "Welcome back, mother. I will make you whole once again. Just be patient a little longer."

If their sessions would remain as vigorous it would only be a matter of time before Byleth would produce a child. There was finally hope for getting her mother returned to this world. Whatever had happened for Byleth to lose the scent might not affect the results, but that would be an investigation for later. She would need Dimitri’s trust to get close to Byleth to examine her further, but something told her that Dimitri was not going to be very compliant with that option. 

That wasn’t Dimitri’s normal scent. The dragon in her was responding to it as if sensing another of her kind, but why; how? That scent reminded her of the day in Zanado. Mothers exuded that aura in the protection of their children, mates protecting their loved ones, and those protecting their territory from an enemy. All those times during the blessings that she had given Dimitri small amounts of her blood, had it changed him somehow? Was the Nabatean heart within the lance doing something to him?

He was a good king that took care of his people, but it was the beast beneath that she usually relished seeing. Dimitri insisted on fighting in the front lines instead of hiding like a coward. He swept through the enemies as a man possessed and she had wanted to know what he would be like on the offensive instead of just defending his territory. Now she got a glimpse of what that protectiveness was like, and it was not from a sense of duty that he held on that tightly to Byleth. 

Dimitri had only extended his hand to the church because of duty and a need for allies. It was similar to the enemy of my enemy is my friend mentality. A few years later when Rhea had entrusted the knowledge of her people’s past it seemed like the two had a kinship over both of them being the sole survivors. She understood the rage he was going through. She could have helped him, but she needed his rage, his strength to defeat their enemies. So she had taught him to channel it and use it for himself. It seemed that perhaps a more dependant approach would have served to deal with him better. 

The moment Dimitri had Byleth in his hands he should have gone to her. Instead, he only kept Byleth for himself. He would have hidden it from her too if he had his way. After all of the blessings Rhea bestowed, Dimitri would still betray her for the fallen one. Her grip on the sword hilt tightened. 

His scent had left her drenched and wanting, to think that Dimitri had been hiding this too somehow made her fury at herself rise again. Why hadn’t she noticed it sooner? There was no doubt that he had claimed Byleth as his mate and there would be no swaying his decision. She could have used that to tie him to her had she known. Use those instincts and her own scent to make him crave her instead. 

It was too late to change things now. He probably wasn’t even aware of what was happening. She would need to keep an eye on him to see what else was changing besides his scent and mindset. Byleth was an oddity to this equation as well. How was she even still alive without her mother’s protection? Hatred overrode the desire now that she wasn’t in the presence of his scent as her nails cut into her palms as they lengthened into claws. 

Rhea brought the sword to the bed and began to tell the sword about her plan to hope that the child Byleth had would possess the Goddess's soul and powers. If that didn’t work, all she could do was watch for the right opportunity to take back her mother’s heart when the time came. Dimitri would leave to fight sooner or later. No one would be able to protect his new pet from her. Byleth would pay for her thieving crimes.

“Soon, mother, just wait a little longer.”

‐--------------

It had been a long time since Dimitri had felt any sense of peace like he did right now. As far as Dimitri could tell, Byleth was sleeping peacefully in his arms. His fingers grazed over her shoulder and her hair as he savored the feeling of her. 

It was dark within the thick curtains and he was tempted to open them just to let at least a little firelight in. He wanted to see her in this peaceful state, but he didn’t want to wake her. His mind was still swirling on the events that led to this moment. He hadn’t expected her touch to be so gentle to him in the bath; for her to want anything to do with him at all was a miracle in itself. 

Glenn had continued his beratement of him after they entered the tub and he wanted not to listen, but he couldn’t help but stare at her when Glenn mentioned the marks on her skin. There was a part of him that hated himself for getting carried away. Byleth tried to soothe his worry, she actually touched him without fear or hesitation. It did calm him, more than he would like to admit. 

Even the thought of Rhea brought all that rage back up to the surface, but Byleth’s voice and her touch shattered the anger. Instead, it was replaced with more protective instincts. He hadn’t expected that she would ask to bathe him. He wasn’t worthy of it, but he wasn’t about to tell her no. There were so many things she could try to do to hurt him, but he wanted to believe that he could trust her. She was already acting so far out of the realm he had imagined her to respond. 

He had kept telling himself that the end result would be worth it for any unsavory acts he might need to commit to winning her compliance, but it seemed that she was already giving it willingly. Part of him didn’t understand, but he wasn’t going to complain; especially when her hands felt so wonderful on him. He hoped that it meant she would be easier to win over without him having to force her into submission. The more she struggled, the bigger the risk that he could hurt her accidentally. That was the last thing he wanted. 

He didn’t like seeing that scared panicked look on her face after she responded so well to the kiss, and he wasn’t sure what caused it either. When she had reprimanded him, his heart plummeted. He deserved it, but he hoped that it wouldn’t be enough to turn her against him. He had to duck his head to avoid her gaze, worried that he would see the hatred from her that he feared. 

Then she had asked to have her way with him and thrown his mind into complete disarray. He hadn’t expected that kind of response from her at all. She had forced him to meet her gaze just as her hand found his cock and it had taken all his breath away. The grip wasn’t harsh. He had almost expected it to be an attack or retaliation, but the soft touch and her words made him flush. It had been a long time since anyone could fluster him enough to lose his composure like that. 

Her admission that she was glad it wasn’t someone else ran through his head again as he stroked her arm. The fact that she had that sentiment only made him feel more guilty. If she cared for him that much that she might be able to forgive him, then what would their relationship be like if he hadn’t explored her while she slept? 

There was a voice inside his mind that told him to take what was his and he had listened to it. He told himself it was for her benefit. To get her body used to him while he figured out what worked and how much strength to apply without hurting her.

When she woke he planned on being gentle with her to coax her into wanting him. He was still a little disappointed that he couldn't play that game any longer, at least not in the way he intended. So he decided to play her game and see what the results would be, and she hadn’t disappointed him. 

It was easy to forget the circumstances that led them here. Her touch was enough to make him dizzy as she touched him on her own. He was already getting close to releasing just from her strokes. He couldn’t help but tease her after she pushed him back. The strength she had surprised him, but he found he delighted in her ability. 

Her fingers and mouth had felt so wonderful on his skin. Then she pinned his arms to the tub and all he could feel was an excited thrill as he wondered who would end up on top if they did brawl. Usually, no one was a match for him, but with her crest, Byleth might be able to make it interesting.

Even irritated, she was so beautiful. Her move had pulled her flush against him and the things he wanted to do to her at that moment made him throb with need. He wanted to take over and kiss that defiant look off her face until she moaned beneath him, but curiosity won out in the end.

It seemed she really didn’t understand the rules and he was happy to inform her. Her irritation only seemed to grow as she narrowed her eyes at him. Then she sheathed herself over him and it took every fiber of restraint he had not to climax then and there. Then her hand went around his neck as she made her demands, and he would gladly let her do what she wanted just to keep her where she was. 

She hesitated like she hadn’t thought everything through. Even her grip loosened and it made him wonder what exactly was going through her head. He teased her again, eager to feel her take her pleasure like she said she was going to. 

When she started rocking her hips it felt like heaven. Her breasts bounced with her movements and the look of concentration on her face was cute. He had the urge to touch her so badly, but he would abide by her request if it meant she would continue. 

When her hands were on him again to explore and he saw the curiosity in her eyes. He was delighted by it. Holding back was taking a toll, but she had been correct that he had taken enough of his own pleasure the past few days. He would prove to her that he would listen to her requests if she made one, but it was difficult to abide by it when he was turned on by her actions. 

It took everything not to join her as her walls clamped around his cock when she climaxed. He hadn’t thought his words would affect her that badly, but the knowledge that it did only made the moment more euphoric. He would certainly be using his voice and words to his advantage.

When she kissed him and they tangled in what felt like a lover’s embrace he couldn’t help himself as he thrust up into her instead of waiting on her. 

That, that had been absolutely wonderful. Even now just the memory made him hard as he nuzzled against her. She had been so greedy for him and he adored it. There were so many things he wanted her to crave, everything from his touch to just having his cock inside of her.

His embrace tightened on her as he thought of her slip. Why had she used his old title? She never referred to him as anything other than his name from the beginning so why would that come to mind to use? Her eyes had snapped open like she wasn’t aware of what she even said until he pointed it out. What had been running through her head?

It had irritated him and he still had yet to figure out why it had affected him so badly. He gave her what she asked for by making sure to give her another climax before he reached his own. 

He was still irritated even after he pulled her against him. It was when he felt her shiver that he realized the water was starting to get colder. He needed to get her out of here before she did get sick.

Something had changed. Byleth was irritated too, the experience went sour in her mind as well. He knew the moment her eyes locked on the bundle holding the sword that something changed. It was almost as if it was calling to her as her dazed movements caught his attention. 

She was still dripping wet as the towel almost dropped from her grip. He came to dry her off and explain the situation. She made no move to stop him, and he tried to be as gentle as he could. 

She brought up that moment that he still regretted to this day. He should have let her in on his suspicions. He never should have pushed her away, never should have let her go. 

Then she asked for the fool he used to be and something inside him snapped as anger rose to the forefront. He had defused them both the only way he could think of. He told her the truth and combined it with more pleasure to keep her from thinking about too much. 

He had wanted her to cum again with just his mouth and touch, but he wouldn’t miss the opportunity to have her willing beneath him. The fact that it was her suggestion appeased the beast within as he kissed, praised, and touched every part of her before he took her again. 

There was still a part of his mind that wondered why she was being so compliant, but he found he didn’t care as the pleasure and her soft moans coiled around him. He hadn’t been able to take her like this before and it was wonderful.

His favorite part was when she breathed out his name with a small moan attached to it. He continued to run his hands over her and kiss every inch of skin he could reach that didn’t risk pulling him out of her. The way her hands tangled in the sheets caught his attention as her moans got more frequent. She was getting close to another climax. 

He wanted to bring her there, but he wasn’t going to rub her off. He wanted her to cum on his cock alone. Instead, his hands wandered to her breasts where they were swinging from the thrusts to grab and roll her nipples between his fingers. 

When the door burst open, he saw red. He had been too entangled in Byleth to realize that Rhea had even arrived. For Rhea to have the audacity to burst into his room uninvited as she did, the archbishop knew better than that. He hid Byleth underneath him as best as he could, he could hear her pants and whimpers and how she tensed at the sight of Rhea. Byleth starting to shake underneath him in fear pissed him off more than Rhea’s sudden appearance. 

He promised Byleth that he wouldn’t let Rhea hurt her again and he was going to keep it. That included the worry over Rhea’s presence. He didn’t want to listen to anything Rhea had to say. 

Dimitri was thankful to Dedue as he managed to get the thinner curtains shut. It would keep the sight of Rhea dulled to Byleth’s senses. So to distract Byleth and to ignore Rhea he gave Byleth a sharp thrust and he was pleased to hear her moan louder than she had before this. 

Byleth had reached for his hand to intertwine and the shock of it almost made him stop. Recovering quickly, he took it in his own and kissed her neck before he purred more praise into her ear. He was pleased with the development. Byleth was relaxing under him and she seemed to be giving herself wholly to the pleasure he was providing. 

Dedue effectively got Rhea out of there and even pulled down the thicker curtains to give them all of the privacy they needed. Dimitri would need to thank him for the good service and loyalty later. 

Dedue was quickly forgotten as the darkness enveloped them and her moans filled the room. Dimitri whispered more praise in Byleth’s ear as he continued, and reiterated that he wouldn’t let Rhea hurt her. Everything from how beautiful she was, to how wonderful her body felt, and how her reactions were pleasing to him. 

Something seemed to change in her behavior as she tightened her grip on his hand. When she climaxed she actually cried out his name and that had sent him over the edge as well. 

He had taken a moment to catch his breath as he nuzzled against her. He wished he could see her face, but perhaps this was better. He had thought that the mirror and the aphrodisiacs were a good method, but she hadn’t been this responsive and needy to his touch. The drug had made her easier to maneuver and with less resistance, but it hadn’t made her clutch at him like this. 

He was about to hold her in place as she moved from him but when she pulled herself off he felt her twist her body around. Her hands glided over him until she found his face to kiss him and pulled him down to her. 

Then she moaned and kissed him as her tongue danced with his. Her hands moved to tangle in his hair again. What changed? Was it the fact that she couldn’t see him? “Byleth…”

“Dimitri… my sweet prince…” his eyes widened as she seemed to press herself more against him as her grip tightened on him. 

Something shattered in him as he realized that she was caught in some delusion. At first, anger boiled to the surface, but then her hungry kiss started to travel across his face and down his neck as her hands groped at his chest. She was eager for him, even if it was a different version of him. 

“Professor…” His voice made her stop completely before she pushed him back onto the bed. That was a shock within itself. Then she crawled over him before her lips found his again, kissing him deeply as she laid herself against him. 

Her affections were still for him, he had to remind himself of that. He would let her dwell within this at least this once to see the depths of her affection before he awoke her from this delusion. It at least wasn’t another person she imagined. She had yet to get used to him, so of course, she would cling to the person she knew. 

That didn’t help the sting that came with her rejection of his current self. 

It was her coping mechanism and as long as it didn’t lead to her hating who he was now he could allow it. Especially when she was this eager for him. 

Her lips searched, her fingers stroked as her nails left him shivering, and her body writhed against him as if she could merge the two of them into one. It almost ruined the desire to use the aphrodisiacs on her again as he responded as well as he could in the dark to her desperation. 

The amount of passion in her kiss, the way her hands groped and grabbed at him, and even the way she ground her slit against his cock made him burn. “What would you like me to do, Professor?”

She groaned against his neck. “Not in bed... I was never your Professor, just my name, please.” 

She may not have taught his classes, but she was still the one that took her time to train with him and guide him when he asked for advice. “You were always my beloved professor. I have always loved and admired you. You didn’t have to spend your time with me, so every moment that you did only made me happier that you chose to.”

Her thumb stroked his cheek before her lips came back down for another kiss. It was tender and filled with affection. He responded in kind, cradling her head as the kisses turned from sweet to hungry as time moved forward. His hand stroked across her back before it came to grab and knead at her ass. She let out a low moan before she broke away and panted his name. 

It was so strange. She was responsive and acting as if she were his willing lover, something he didn’t think he’d see from her for a few months at the earliest. To think she had been harboring these feelings for so long... no she didn’t have any memory of the five years she was comatose. These were still her feelings from back at the academy. 

She still had yet to cope with the fact that five years had passed, that could be why she stayed in denial. It was all too much for her, and he certainly hadn’t helped matters.

He would do what he could to transition her, but for now, he was going to enjoy this gift he had been given. “Byleth, what would you like me to do to you? I am yours to wield as you see fit, remember? That promise wasn’t just for combat.”

She breathed his name before her lips came crashing onto his again. “From behind again, I feel safer when you hold me.”

That explained why she had relaxed so much when he was wrapped around her. It let her keep the delusion in her head because she couldn’t see him, but she could feel him and imagine whatever situation she had conjured. Had she really wanted him this badly all those years ago? 

What would have happened if he had gone with his urges and held her until either one of them suggested to take it somewhere private instead of pushing her away as he had? Would she still have left with Edelgard if he had told her his suspicions? There were too many questions without answers.

All he could do is take care of her right now and make sure she had no reason to want to leave. “I have a better idea then. Lay on your side, I can do the work for the both of us if being held is what you want.”

She rolled off of him and he could feel her beside him, her hand still on his chest for a moment before she turned away from him. He moved in behind her. His hand ran down her arms and then her sides as his lips and teeth found and teased the skin at her neck. 

He snaked his arm underneath her to be able to hold her close as he used that hand to knead her breast. The other hand lifted up her leg over the one he slid in between hers. 

It took a few moments to line himself up with her in the darkness around them. He loved how loud she was for him as his cock stroked against her folds. He licked his lips before nuzzling and nipping the shell of her ear when he knew it would only take one thrust to be inside of her. “Do you want me, Professor?”

“Of course I do. Dima, please,” the last time he heard Byleth call him that nickname was back during the academy. 

He was glad she couldn’t see the curl of his lip as the anger rose again. The thrust was harsh when he had meant to stay affectionate and teasing. He let out his frustration as he used his arms to keep her against his chest, her breasts bouncing against his arm. 

Why? Why did she have to do this? It was one thing to hate and curse him, but to tease him with feelings that were for a ghost of his former self was worse. How did he even wake her up from this delusion she created?

He pressed a kiss to her shoulder. There was a part of him that would rather bite and make his claim. When she looked in the mirror next she would see that this was real. Would that have the effect he wanted? 

Byleth interrupted his thoughts as she intertwined their hands together against her chest and he felt the spite drain away. The sense of trust that action gave surprised him. He could easily crush her hand with his strength. 

He decided that while she was still in this state he would do a bit more convincing. He wasn’t sure if she thought this was real or a dream, but he didn’t want to lose this intimacy as soon as the curtains opened. “I still love you as I did then. I apologize that I was impatient.”

Her hand tightened around his in acknowledgment but she stayed silent. He would like some kind of an answer but he wouldn’t force one out of her, especially not when she was being so wonderful for him. He used his other hand to put pressure on her clit as she got closer to her climax. 

His other hand wandered to where her chest was unmoving. There was usually the thrum of a heartbeat and the pounding of blood when he held his hand to his chest, but the absence of even that made him wonder.

He pressed his ear against her back and he could hear the breath filling and leaving her lungs, but the lack of heartbeat only reminded him that he had lost her once already. Maybe this was his punishment; she was returned to him, but he could not claim a heart that didn’t beat. 

His grip tightened as he was reminded of the other thing that fueled him. It was a miracle that she was even here with him, to have her awake and breathing. He would do everything in his power to make sure that he never lost her again.

When she started to tremble in his arms her grip tightened on his arm. The sound of her blood thrumming through her veins and breathing was getting faster. He wondered what his own heart was doing right now. Was his pulse as erratic as hers? The lewd, wet sound every time he thrust inside of her echoed almost as loud as their breathing. He could feel his balls tighten as he got closer. His breath fanned on her back from the exertion.

Without the sense of sight, it seemed that everything else was heightened. She was so warm against him, her toes curling against his leg as she locked her leg around his. He couldn’t wait to feel this with those leggings of hers on. She had moved to interlock her hand with the one he had resting over where her heart was. She seemed to enjoy that sensation and he had to admit that he did too. 

It was such a simple act to hold another’s hand, but even a handshake was dangerous for him to participate in. She was trusting him not to hurt her by reaching out like this and it made him tighten his hold just a fraction. She felt so small and fragile in his arms. He moved his head up to nestle against her shoulder and breathed deep. The mint she used for the bath was sharp but wonderful. He would make sure that he provided her with a supply of those oils.

“You know I used to go to the greenhouse to be near the plants that reminded me of you. The lavender was always my favorite because it also reminded me of your eyes, but the mint does suit you, especially now. I still remember the shock I felt when I realized it was you. I still do not understand how they could call you a demon. You were always kind, understanding, and radiant: my guiding light, my goddess.”

His fingers moved further down so her clit was against his palm as his fingers sought out where they were joined there too. Byleth gasped, her grip tightening once again. 

“You think too highly of me. I’m no angel, much less a goddess. You have no idea of the things I’ve done.”

He chuckled darkly, “and neither do you, both of our hands are stained red. We make quite the pair, you and I.” 

She moaned as her head tilted back. He concentrated on his own pace as he nuzzled against her. Her scent and just the feel of her made him salivate. Her body was tensing as the shaking increased. He couldn’t help but sink his teeth in her shoulder as she cried out for him. He hilted himself as deep as he could to feel every pulse and twitch her body gave him as he came inside of her.

They were both breathing hard but he enjoyed how relaxed she became in his arms. It wasn't like when she was asleep, her hands were wrapped around his arm. It was… intimate with how her thumb stroked over him. 

He replicated the motion and a pleasant hum left her lips. "Can you just hold me for a while Dima?"

"As you wish my beloved." That was how she came to be asleep like this, pressed up tightly against him and his arms coiled around her. 

Her soft snores were a welcome difference to her comatose state. He was still unable to completely wrap his mind around the experience. There was a part of him delighted by the intimacy, but the other part of him hated that she was giving her affection to him only because she was only seeing the teenager he used to be. What did he need to do to get her to give him this affection as he was now?

The silence was interrupted by a whimper. She was still asleep as far as he could tell. It had to be a nightmare. The thought made him swallow as he knew how many nights he had been lost in the throes of one. The last thing he wanted to be was the monster that haunted hers. Then her father’s name left her lips as she jerked in his arms and he understood what was happening all too well.

It was another reminder of the time that was stolen from her. He ran his hands through her hair as he kissed her temple, hoping to wake her gently. He could tell the moment she woke up by how she started to snuggle into him and froze in her movements. He wanted to see how well she’d respond if she still thought she was dreaming. It was the best way to get more information and he didn’t want her guards back up just yet. “Is everything alright, Professor?”

He felt the tenseness leave her body almost immediately and he had to hold back a growl. He needed to stay calm. He expected this kind of reaction. If he had used beloved instead he imagined she would be pulling away from him.

She said his name and nuzzled her way closer so her head rested under his chin. He forced himself to relax as he stroked her back. Tears fell against his skin as she cried over the loss of her father again. It was still him she thought was holding her, he had to remind himself of that, repeated it over in his head again and again. 

“You never gave it to me,” her voice was thick with tears and sleep. 

There were many things that could mean. “Gave you what?”

“You said you wanted to gift me with something other than pain. It’s only been a few months, but it won’t go away. Why does it hurt so much? I couldn’t protect him. I tried over and over and it didn’t matter how many times I turned the clock back I still couldn’t do anything.”

He would have very much liked to have continued that night, to give her the comfort she needed and deserved. How many times had he re-lived his own hell in dreams to the point where he avoided sleeping at all?

“Then there’s you, why do I keep having these nightmares? Why can’t I have the you I remember? Why does losing you hurt so much?”

Her tears were coming harder now as she clung to his neck. His hands were shaking as he kept his own heartbreak and rage at bay. “You never lost me, Professor, my heart has always belonged to you and you alone.”

“Then why didn’t you believe me when I tried to talk to you the day she invaded? I wanted to run away with you. I told you the truth... that I only protected her because she was my student. I needed to find out why she would do something like that. You didn't believe me, worse you attacked me.” She was shaking like a leaf in his arms as her nails dug into his shoulders. 

“Then Hubert came and he knocked your lance out of your hand before you could make the final blow. I knew that there would be no negotiations with you after seeing the anger in your gaze. His spell… you died in my arms, Dimitri. I had to take it back. I had to try to end this war to save you. I took it all back, I know I took it back.”

What in the world was she talking about? They must have done something to her, filled her head with lies to get Byleth to follow them. They gave her no one else to turn to, even told her that he would attack her if she tried. They used him against her to control her. Those snakes would pay. “Byleth, it’s alright. I’m here.”

Her breath hitched before she nuzzled her head into the crook of his neck. “If Hubert hadn’t interrupted us that night, how far would you have gone?”

He knew exactly which night she spoke of. Another regret that he had harbored in the fact that he had left her. “As far as you would have let me. The beast in me wanted you then as well.”

Her fingers stroked his jaw. “Would… if I was still asleep would you have taken advantage of me like he did?”

He had to word this carefully. It sounded like she believed she was talking to his younger self and thus the ‘he’ would be his current self. “You seem to have it in your mind that I’m innocent. You don’t realize how badly you affected me or how much I wanted you. Just to feel your skin under my hand had brought so many desires to the forefront. I’d like to think I wouldn’t fall into the temptation, but I know my hands would wander until you told me to stop. If you had stayed asleep I am not sure how far I would have gone, but I know that night I was ready to give myself wholly to you if you would have allowed it.”

He didn't want to do anything that would make her cry or leave her in torment. Every time he imagined her crying underneath him it had turned his stomach. Even if the end result justified the means he wanted to try to find a way to make it easier on her. When she woke up she had been confused, and rightfully so.

He felt her nod against him. “I've often thought about that night, the things I wish had happened instead. At least, until now, there were never nightmares attached to them.”

“Byleth, even now the last thing I would want to do is cause you pain. I know I should have waited, but they say it hurts the first time and with my strength, there’s even more risk to you."

"I wasn’t a virgin. I told you I’m no angel. It’s part of why I don’t understand how I can react with you as I do. They called me a cold fish and didn’t even finish what they started. It takes so long for me to cum and yet your voice alone makes my blood run hot and my head dizzy.”

The thought that someone else had touched her had his teeth gritting before he processed the sentence in his mind. Even with the knowledge that he had that effect, it didn’t dim down the anger that coiled up in his chest. She was his. He should have known something was odd that first day when there wasn’t any blood or resistance. He didn’t have enough knowledge to know the difference. Byleth was his first and he had been too caught up in the pleasure to care. He finally had her in his arms, and nothing else mattered. 

He needed to calm down before his anger shattered everything. 

“I’m not fit to be a queen. If anyone found out that he took a deflowered commoner into his bed it would ruin him. That’s why I pushed you away. I’m sorry, I wasn’t worth the trouble it would cause.” Her tone was so dejected as her hands clenched into fists against him.

“I have chosen you Byleth, damn what anyone else says. I don’t care about their idle chatter. Yes, I would have preferred to be the only one to touch you, but that does not make you unworthy of anything. You are mine now and that’s what matters to me.” 

He stroked her back as he rested his chin on top of her head. "I know the circumstances are not ideal, but I hope you can learn to accept your place here with me. It was better than the alternative of losing you again. As my wife you are under my shield, no matter your decisions in the past that made you an enemy to Faerghus, you will be safe in my care."

He could feel her fingers tracing shapes into his chest as she thought about what he said. "I don't know how I should feel with him. Part of my mind says that I should fight, but I’ve already lost you twice. Each time it hurt so much. Then he does these small gestures and I see a flicker of you… it gives me hope, but then some of the other things he does… I don’t know, nor do I understand how he can get the reactions he does out of me."

He caressed her jaw as he mulled over that information. "Professor, what should I do? I want to meet your expectations and earn your love. I do not want you disappointed in any iteration of me.”

Byleth’s hand searched until it lay against his cheek. "My sweet lion. You are not to blame."

At first, his heart skipped a beat at the endearment. The soft kiss she lay against his lips didn’t have any malice or fear behind it. He could feel his hands tighten on her skin as the action that should have brought his heart happiness only left a bitter feeling. "I can't stand the thought that you think of someone else when you’re with me. Please Professor, what can I do?"

Her fingers carded through his hair and this time the silence only made his temper rise. “Is he truly unworthy of your affection? You give it so freely to me.”

All she did was twist a piece of hair around her finger from the feel of it. Her thumb was rubbing over his jaw. “You were always a bright light, everything a prince should be. You were burdened by dark wounds you shouldn’t have had to endure. You often said that you would stop the cycle of the strong trampling on the weak. Some people may think that holding an ideal like that is naive or childish, but I cherish you for it. In that world, someone like me would be allowed to thrive.”

That didn’t answer his question. Furthermore, why would Byleth consider herself weak? "Byleth, you are the strongest person I know. There is no version of me that would ever think of you as weak. I only want to take care of you and keep you safe because of those who I’ve lost. You know how it feels to have one you care for cut down before your eyes. I don’t want to risk that happening to you. You’ve come back to me after all this time and I want to make sure that you are happy with me. I will do whatever it takes to earn your trust."

She was crying again. "You had it. I always felt safe with you. I'm sorry I didn't choose the Blue Lions. I've loved you for a long time now Dimitri, I just had no way to show you, and now it’s too late. I failed you all. Even with all the powers Sothis gave me, I'm still weak. The moment I wake up I'm nothing but his prisoner. I'm not ready to leave this dream just yet.”

"Byleth...." His fingers found her face and used his lips to gently kiss away her tears. He caressed her back in an attempt to soothe her. "You are the one who holds our heart prisoner."

She was starting to shake, but it wasn't from fear, he could hear the hiss from the breath passing through her clenched teeth. "How can you call that love? I’m nothing but a prisoner of war with a fancy title. A trophy to carry his child in....”

“No, you are not!” She flinched away from his savage growl as his grip became iron around her, but he would not stop there. 

Delusion or no delusion, he would not let her keep that sentiment about herself. “You are my beloved, my wife, and the only woman I want in this world. I want to share my life with you, to have a family with you, and create something that is ours and ours alone. I want to be your husband, to take care of you and protect you from this forsaken world.”

The caress to his cheek was soft. “And what of the shade that’s replaced you? You can’t protect me from him.” 

Dimitri felt like all of his breath was punched from him at that statement. His former self wasn’t the innocent she seemed to believe him to be. If she had let him, he would have bedded her in a heartbeat during the academy. It was the only thing that filled his mind besides his training and searching for clues to find out more about who he needed to target for Duscur. 

The only thing stopping him was that he didn't deserve her. He wouldn't risk a child that would inherit his responsibilities. He didn't want to taint her with the thoughts that resided in his mind. Perhaps she needed to know the depths of his depravity. He needed to shatter this persona she built about him.

"The beast lived inside of me too, I was just better at hiding it. Byleth, you don’t know how many times I took my cock in my hand and thought about all the things I wished to do to you. The beast has always wanted you, the only difference between me and him is that the beast had you exactly where it wanted you and it had been starving for so long. I was afraid you wouldn’t wake up, that I was cursed to love someone that couldn’t love me back." He hated how his voice was cracking at the end, but it was true.

Those nights he held her in his arms and prayed for her to wake, to feel something, anything for him still haunted his mind. He knew that it would more than likely be hatred, but even that he could twist into something akin to love for him. With enough time she could learn to love him, or at least obey him until the lines blurred and he could believe she did care for him. 

“I do love you Byleth. I hope in time you can love me too. I will always protect you. I will not use my strength against you to cause you harm. I don’t want your fear, nor your hatred.”

He felt her arms slide around his neck. “What I want is to not think about the future. I just want you, let us live in the moment. I don't want to be numb anymore. Give me what you promised.”

She wouldn’t be able to see the smile curving his lips. “You are naive Byleth. Your future is in my arms. You will never be numb as long as you let me take care of you and your needs.”

The thrust against her slit he gave her tore a moan from her throat. “Then show me…”

Dimitri paused his movements as her lips crashed back to his. They were both panting when she pulled her mouth away. “Show me this beast.”

Dimitri raised a brow that she wouldn’t be able to see in the dark. He wished he could see her face right now, but he might be able to heighten their experience through feel. 

He traced his hand along her back before he palmed her ass, she seemed to like that before. The small pleased sound she made only made him squeeze harder. He licked a stripe up her neck. “And why should I? He didn't hide his beast and it seems that you hate him."

"I don't… I..."

Dimitri grunted at her inability to voice what he already knew. "You won't relax with him like this. Why would I take this away from myself when you can't handle the truth that we are the same beast?"

"Dima, that's not..."

His lick turned into a nip at her throat. "No Byleth, you have made it clear that in your mind we are two different people. The only difference between us is that he has had five years to rule and to be obeyed when an order is given. We have lost your guiding light once already. That is why he will do whatever it takes to keep you safe, make you happy, and at our side where you belong."

He could hear her breath catch, and her body tense. "What do you want from me Dimitri? For you, I would twist reality and time to be by your side again and stay beside you to keep you from turning into this twisted shade of yourself."

He growled against her throat. There she went again with her rejection of who he was now. “And therein lies my point! You weren’t there Byleth. I have had five years to lament your absence; five years of needing to cement my authority and make sure my people were taken care of, and protected from the war you helped begin. You have been the only woman I wanted, I have forsaken the thought of having anyone else.”

He was starting to hate these long silences of hers. 

“Please Byleth, accept your place as my wife and you will never want for anything."

"Except my freedom."

He nuzzled into her neck as he began to leave kisses where his lips touched. "In time you might earn the privilege, but how many enemies want your head? You must stay safe above all else. My heart would shatter if I lost you again."

He would not go through that pain another time, he would not lose her.

"And what even waits if you get this so-called freedom? Your class has abandoned you. Even if you get a mercenary band together, do you take pleasure in having to fight tooth and nail for any meager possessions or food to satisfy you?" 

He was in a position to offer her everything, and he would give it all to her if she asked for it. She would not need to put herself in harm's way or go another night without food or shelter. She possibly may like to travel, but everything they needed was right here.

"The moment you try to leave Rhea will do whatever she can to kill you. Stay with me and teach me how to make you happy. Ask whatever you want of me and I shall see it done."

Rhea would not take her from him, not now, not ever again. The only thing he would not do is let her go.

"For many years now I have yearned to have you beside me. I saw the opportunity and I grabbed it with both hands because I saw a brighter future for both of us. Even though the beast can be insatiable, the man beneath will not allow you to be harmed. I do not wish to be your jailer or your tormentor. Let me take care of you, please."

He felt both her hands on either side of his face. "And what happens when I wake up?" 

His hands went around the cuffs at her wrist. "It is still me Byleth. You already have my whole heart and devotion, all that remains is to be shown how you desire to be worshiped. Even if you need to earn them I will not deny you the privilege. These cuffs will not be on you forever, and they are only meant to keep you from attacking me. I need your trust, and you need to earn mine.”

Byleth tensed and he cursed in his head for bringing the cuffs into play. She had already shown that she felt that she was only his prisoner and as much as he denied it, as long as these were around her wrists it would remain that way. His hand took her chin so he could kiss her thoroughly.

“In return, I want to be obeyed and I would love it if the worship was mutual. I want to give you pleasure and receive it as well. You are the one thing I know I don’t want to live without again.” 

He mouthed at her neck and was delighted in the tilt of her head and intake of breath. “How are you able to make me feel this way? Sometimes I feel like I’m about to go mad from just your touch alone.”

Now, this was an interesting conversation. He licked his lips as he put both her wrists into one of his hands and used his other to palm at her breast. “Desire goes both ways. I know just being able to touch you makes me burn for you in a way that I’ve never experienced before.”

“Promise me something before I let that flame consume me too.”

He rubbed his cock against her slit and loved how she shivered with a small moan underneath him. “That depends on what you want. Roaring flames don’t care what they consume in their path. I want to be the fire that keeps you warm. You are the hearth that keeps me from going out of control that the beast is content to lay down in front of.”

“Don’t try to kill that part of yourself like he’s trying to do to me. Give me a chance to learn about the man and to tame this beast of yours.”

He froze. “Kill a part of you, Byleth, what are you talking about?” 

“I already have no heart. If he turns me into his obedient doll I will just be a different demon. Instead of a killing machine, I’ll only be a shell for him to use as he sees fit.”

He could feel his grip tightening and he had to let go of her wrists before his anger made him do something stupid. “You misunderstand my intentions if that is your interpretation. How many times will it require me to tell you that what I want is your love?”

Byleth leaned up and her hands searched until they cupped his face. “It doesn’t matter. I failed you. I’m the reason you turned out that twisted. I should have done more. I will make it right, I promise to be by your side from the beginning. This time… this time will be better, my heart. I have to try.”

She retreated from him then and he found himself reaching out to bring her back to him. Suddenly a bright light made him roar as it blinded him. The sound of metal rattling made him squint as he tried to process what was going on. There was a large golden magic circle hovering above Byleth. The cuffs were glowing, trying to absorb whatever it was she was using, and then the cuffs shattered into dust. 

“Don’t just stare. Stop her!”

“That is big enough to be a warp spell, do not let her leave.”

“Poor child, you can’t even keep someone who claims to love you here.”

The ghosts wailed in his mind as a foreign scent filled his head. Byleth’s eyes were wide as she stared at him, her head shaking from side to side as she trembled. The circle stopped spinning and he took his chance to dive for her. 

He held her to his chest as he wrapped her in an embrace. “Please don’t leave me Byleth. I don’t know what your intentions are. Whatever it is you can atone with me here and now. Just stay with me.”

The circle started to fade, but there was still the danger that it would complete whatever she intended. He took her wrist in hand as he moved to capture her lips with his. He moved his hand so it interlocked with hers as he angled them both to thrust inside of her once more.

“You belong here with me. I will not let you go, not now not ever. You will never be numb with me, I will give you all the warmth you need.” 

As the light faded his strokes got faster as he held her tighter. Then the magic shattered completely and Byleth’s eyes lost their glow as they closed and she slumped against him. Her body became completely lifeless in his arms. 

No… no no no. He pulled away from her and tore aside the curtain to let the firelight in. His hands were everywhere at once trying to take in her pulse and her temperature. She was the same as when she was first brought to him. A magic sleep that turned her body into an almost lifeless state. 

His hands shook in rage. Just what in the world had she tried to use? What was she talking about right before she even used it? He would need something more powerful than the cuffs. It must be the goddess powers that Rhea mentioned. That fact alone would make Rhea covet Byleth even more. Byleth had slept for years the last time she had been like this. How long would she stay asleep this time?

The feel of her lips and hands lingered on his skin. Everything had been going wonderfully. She had admitted to loving him at some point and there would be the possibility that she could again. Wrapping himself around her he pulled her tight against him. He would figure out a way to wake her. She would not be escaping him that easily. 

And when she did wake they would be having a talk over those thoughts of hers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Twitter is Lunafox90 - comments and kudos are always appreciated. ty as always for reading
> 
> so I was told by one of my betas that it made her cry so yeah ^^; I sorries I will make up for it, but the next scene I've had in my head for a bit and I need her to be trapped and fighting within her own mind so it needed to be done. Those of you in my discord server already know what waits for you so hope you're looking forward to having both versions of Dimitri in her head with her to have some fun.  
> Link for the server -> https://discord.gg/rFHMzYraNc <\- if anyone is interested I know a few of you have already reached out since you're not on twitter but wanted a way to interact. I keep stuff for bliss in my corner under the dungeon tab. If you decide to come in mind the rules and be nice. 
> 
> I don't own anything fire emblem, the characters just live in my head and this is how they pay their rent


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